DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, multiple officials announced Wednesday, raising the possibility of winding down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hezbollah-lebanon-anniversary-73916b17394f093f01ca5554cf26b528">the deadliest</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">most destructive</a>&nbsp;fighting between the bitter enemies.

The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a territory ravaged by 15 months of war.

Three officials from the U.S. and one from Hamas confirmed that a deal had been reached, while the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said final details were still being ironed out.

All three U.S. officials and the Hamas official requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the deal before the official announcement by mediators in Doha.

Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that it hoped “details will be finalized tonight.” Any agreement needs to be approved by Netanyahu’s Cabinet.

Once official, the deal is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that is to be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war altogether.

Over six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages are to be reunited with their loved ones after months in in captivity with no contact with the outside world, though it’s unclear if all are alive.

It remained unclear exactly when and how many displaced Palestinians would be able to return to what remains of their homes and whether the agreement would lead to a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza — key Hamas demands for releasing the remaining captives.

Many longer-term questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-23-2024-a5da6005cfa6734225af35ca460a75fb">postwar Gaza</a>&nbsp;remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction after a brutal conflict that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">destabilized the broader Middle East</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-campus-protests-966eb531279f8e4381883fc5d79d5466">sparked worldwide protests</a>.

Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population and sparked a humanitarian crisis.

More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023.

The U.S., along with Egypt and Qatar, have brokered months of indirect talks between the bitter enemies that finally culminated in this latest deal. It comes after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-ceasefire-3ed296f8317ecaa89c4e3548c75c9602">agreed to a ceasefire</a>&nbsp;in November, after more than a year of conflict linked to the war in the Gaza.

Israel responded with a brutal air and ground offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. They do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed.

U.N. and international relief organizations estimate that some 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times. They say tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and hospitals are barely functioning. Experts have warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-gaza-north-hunger-437b401b0ade2d934f00f88d027d467c">famine may be underway in northern Gaza</a>, where Israel launched a major offensive in early October, displacing tens of thousands of residents.

“The best day in my life and the life of the Gaza people,” Abed Radwan, a Palestinian father of three, said of the ceasefire deal. “Thank God. Thank God.”

Radwan, who has been displaced from the town of Beit Lahiya for over a year and shelters in Gaza City, said he will try to return to his hometown, and “rebuild my house, and rebuild Beit Lahiya.”

He spoke to AP over the phone. His voice has been overshadowed by celebrations. “People are crying here. They don’t believe it’s true.”

In Israel, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Israel’s military headquarters in Tel Aviv, calling for a deal to be completed. Many held posters of hostages held by Hamas, others hoisted candles in the air.

As the deal was announced, some people were unaware that it had gone through. Sharone Lifschitz, whose father Oded is being held in Gaza, told the AP by phone she was stunned and grateful but won’t believe it until she sees all the hostages come home.

“I’m so desperate to see them if by some miracle my father has survived,” she said.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who has provided crucial military aid to Israel but expressed exasperation over civilian deaths, announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-58169a607d4a7c4d7fc34f43160076b8">the outline of the three-phase ceasefire agreement</a>&nbsp;on May 31. The agreement eventually agreed to followed that framework.

He said the first phase would last for six weeks and include a “full and complete ceasefire,” a withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, older adults and wounded people, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian assistance would surge, with hundreds of trucks entering Gaza each day.

The second and most difficult phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. The third phase calls for the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which faces decades of rebuilding from devastation caused by the war.

Hamas had been demanding assurances for a permanent end to the war and complete withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel, meanwhile, has repeatedly said it would not halt the war until it destroys Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.

The various players have conducted months of on-again, off-again negotiations. But with Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-talks-01-13-2025-395e030947f9964f3fbf5763b9564591">days in office numbered</a>&nbsp;and President-elect Donald Trump set to take over, both sides had been under heavy pressure to agree to a deal.

Trump celebrated the soon-to-be-announced agreement in a posting on his Truth Social social media platform: “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!”

Hezbollah’s acceptance of a ceasefire in Lebanon after it had suffered heavy blows, and the overthrow of President Bashar Assad in Syria, were both major setbacks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-mideast-proxy-forces-syria-analysis-c853bf613a6d6af7f6aa99b2e60984f8">for Iran and its allies</a>&nbsp;across the region, including Hamas, which was left increasingly isolated.

Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll. Israel says it has killed around 17,000 militants — though it has not provided evidence to support the claim. It also blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing the group of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-court-ceasefire-01d093d21a1eadaa31af5708cf1cbf38">The International Court of Justice</a>&nbsp;is investigating allegations brought by South Africa that Israel has committed genocide. The International Criminal Court, a separate body also based in The Hague,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-israel-hamas-warrants-netanyahu-palestinian-arrest-73c854d072e0a1a41b19b2cb2cdd07fa">has issued arrest warrants</a>&nbsp;for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense minister and a Hamas commander for war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the war.

Israel and the United States have condemned the actions taken by both courts.

Netanyahu also faced great domestic pressure to bring home the hostages,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-war-israel-gaza-captivity-militants-612542191742082f330d55433c012a05">whose plight</a>&nbsp;has captured the nation’s attention. Their families have become a powerful lobbying group with wide public support backed by months of mass protests urging the government to reach a deal with Hamas.

Israeli authorities have already concluded that more than a third of the roughly 100 remaining people held captive are dead, and there are fears that others are no longer alive. A series of videos released by Hamas showing surviving hostages in distress, combined with news that a growing number of abducted Israelis have died, put added pressure on the Israeli leader.

Hamas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-conflict-endgame-1bfcc187d826596e78090ec6cbf6516c">a militant group that does not accept Israel’s existence</a>, has come under overwhelming pressure from Israeli military operations, including the invasion of Gaza’s largest cities and towns and the takeover of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yahya-sinwar-hamas-leader-killed-obituary-gaza-6965bea4270313c1f1501335c705ac9a">including Yahya Sinwar</a>, who was believed to have helped mastermind the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, have been killed.

But its fighters have regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising the prospect of a prolonged insurgency if the war continues.

Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas’s military and governing capabilities are destroyed. But it has never been clear what that would entail or if it’s even possible, given the group’s deep roots in Palestinian society, its presence in Lebanon and the occupied West Bank, and its exiled leadership.

If the ceasefire takes hold, both sides face many difficult and unanswered questions.

As the war winds down, Netanyahu will face growing calls for postwar investigations that could find him at least partially responsible for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-hostages-0c14750240138853a70e38b0c09ef157">the security failures of Oct. 7</a>&nbsp;— the worst in Israel’s history. His far-right governing partners, who opposed a ceasefire deal, could also bring down the coalition and push the country into early elections.

There is still no plan for who will govern Gaza after the war. Israel has said it will work with local Palestinians not affiliated with Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. But it is unclear if such partners exist, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with Israeli forces.

The United States has tried to advance sweeping postwar plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-authority-government-explainer-aefe041e045f2c60918b42f42185f41e">a reformed Palestinian Authority</a>&nbsp;to govern Gaza with Arab and international assistance. As part of those plans, the U.S. hope Saudi Arabia would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-us-israel-security-deal-hamas-war-gaza-strip-5b09666aeb6de0573c01e99cabb7946e">normalize relations with Israel</a>&nbsp;in return for U.S. security guarantees and aid in setting up a civilian nuclear program.

But those plans depend on credible progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state, something Netanyahu and much of Israel’s political class oppose. Netanyahu has said Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza as well as the occupied West Bank, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war that the Palestinians want for their future state.

In the absence of a postwar arrangement with Palestinian support, Hamas is likely to remain a significant force in Gaza and could reconstitute its military capabilities if Israeli forces fully withdraw.

JERUSALEM (AP) —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says ceasefire deal with Hamas has still not been reached and that the final details were still being sorted out. That comes after multiple mediators had said Israel and Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-hamas-ceasefire-334ecc4420fe3b6fce9f7a27ca886b65">agreed to a ceasefire</a>&nbsp;in Gaza and the release dozens of hostages after more than 15 months of war.

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, large crowds of joyful Palestinians have taken to the streets, with people cheering and honking car horns.

Any deal is expected to pause the fighting and bring hopes for winding down the most deadly and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">destructive war</a>&nbsp;Israel and Hamas have ever fought, a conflict that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">destabilized the Middle East</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-campus-protests-966eb531279f8e4381883fc5d79d5466">sparked worldwide protests</a>.

Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza began on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7, 2023</a>, when militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. A third of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-gaza-war-hamas-winter-42b21cff477227a7d65bbc30c0bb83fd">100 hostages still held in Gaza</a>&nbsp;are believed to be dead.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel Hamas-war</a>&nbsp;has killed more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-rights-amnesty-genocide-19aa8fb76f7271942e73d5d7a42434e0">46,000 Palestinians</a>&nbsp;in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-casualties-toll-65e18f3362674245356c539e4bc0b67a">more than half the fatalities</a>.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hezbollah-lebanon-anniversary-73916b17394f093f01ca5554cf26b528">the deadliest</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">most destructive</a>&nbsp;fighting between the bitter enemies.

The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory.

Three officials from the U.S. and one from Hamas confirmed that a deal had been reached, while a senior Israeli official said details are still being ironed out.

All three U.S. officials requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the deal before the official announcement by mediators in Doha.

President Joe Biden was preparing to address the breakthrough agreement later Thursday, officials said.

Any agreement still needs to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet, but is expected to go into effect in the coming days.

The deal is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that is to be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war altogether.

Many longer-term questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-23-2024-a5da6005cfa6734225af35ca460a75fb">postwar Gaza</a>&nbsp;remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction.

Still, the announcement offered the first sign of hope in months that Israel and Hamas may be winding down the most deadly and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">destructive war</a>&nbsp;they’ve ever fought, a conflict that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">destabilized the broader Middle East</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-campus-protests-966eb531279f8e4381883fc5d79d5466">sparked worldwide protests</a>.

Federman reported from Jerusalem. Magdy reported from Cairo. Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728311333069.png" alt="Keith Siegel among the Americans still being held in Gaza. He is 64 and a native of North Carolina-photo Hostage and Missing Families Forum." />
 <figcaption>Keith Siegel among the Americans still being held in Gaza. He is 64 and a native of North Carolina-photo Hostage and Missing Families Forum.</figcaption>
 </figure>DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, multiple officials announced Wednesday, raising the possibility of winding down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hezbollah-lebanon-anniversary-73916b17394f093f01ca5554cf26b528">the deadliest</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">most destructive</a>&nbsp;fighting between the bitter enemies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736967651306.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a territory ravaged by 15 months of war.Three officials from the U.S. and one from Hamas confirmed that a deal had been reached, while the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said final details were still being ironed out.All three U.S. officials and the Hamas official requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the deal before the official announcement by mediators in Doha.Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that it hoped “details will be finalized tonight.” Any agreement needs to be approved by Netanyahu’s Cabinet.Once official, the deal is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that is to be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war altogether.Over six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages are to be reunited with their loved ones after months in in captivity with no contact with the outside world, though it’s unclear if all are alive.It remained unclear exactly when and how many displaced Palestinians would be able to return to what remains of their homes and whether the agreement would lead to a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza — key Hamas demands for releasing the remaining captives.Many longer-term questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-23-2024-a5da6005cfa6734225af35ca460a75fb">postwar Gaza</a>&nbsp;remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction after a brutal conflict that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">destabilized the broader Middle East</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-campus-protests-966eb531279f8e4381883fc5d79d5466">sparked worldwide protests</a>.Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population and sparked a humanitarian crisis.More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023.The U.S., along with Egypt and Qatar, have brokered months of indirect talks between the bitter enemies that finally culminated in this latest deal. It comes after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-ceasefire-3ed296f8317ecaa89c4e3548c75c9602">agreed to a ceasefire</a>&nbsp;in November, after more than a year of conflict linked to the war in the Gaza.Israel responded with a brutal air and ground offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. They do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed.U.N. and international relief organizations estimate that some 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times. They say tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and hospitals are barely functioning. Experts have warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-gaza-north-hunger-437b401b0ade2d934f00f88d027d467c">famine may be underway in northern Gaza</a>, where Israel launched a major offensive in early October, displacing tens of thousands of residents.“The best day in my life and the life of the Gaza people,” Abed Radwan, a Palestinian father of three, said of the ceasefire deal. “Thank God. Thank God.”Radwan, who has been displaced from the town of Beit Lahiya for over a year and shelters in Gaza City, said he will try to return to his hometown, and “rebuild my house, and rebuild Beit Lahiya.”He spoke to AP over the phone. His voice has been overshadowed by celebrations. “People are crying here. They don’t believe it’s true.”In Israel, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Israel’s military headquarters in Tel Aviv, calling for a deal to be completed. Many held posters of hostages held by Hamas, others hoisted candles in the air.As the deal was announced, some people were unaware that it had gone through. Sharone Lifschitz, whose father Oded is being held in Gaza, told the AP by phone she was stunned and grateful but won’t believe it until she sees all the hostages come home.“I’m so desperate to see them if by some miracle my father has survived,” she said.U.S. President Joe Biden, who has provided crucial military aid to Israel but expressed exasperation over civilian deaths, announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-58169a607d4a7c4d7fc34f43160076b8">the outline of the three-phase ceasefire agreement</a>&nbsp;on May 31. The agreement eventually agreed to followed that framework.He said the first phase would last for six weeks and include a “full and complete ceasefire,” a withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, older adults and wounded people, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian assistance would surge, with hundreds of trucks entering Gaza each day.The second and most difficult phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. The third phase calls for the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which faces decades of rebuilding from devastation caused by the war.Hamas had been demanding assurances for a permanent end to the war and complete withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel, meanwhile, has repeatedly said it would not halt the war until it destroys Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.The various players have conducted months of on-again, off-again negotiations. But with Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-talks-01-13-2025-395e030947f9964f3fbf5763b9564591">days in office numbered</a>&nbsp;and President-elect Donald Trump set to take over, both sides had been under heavy pressure to agree to a deal.Trump celebrated the soon-to-be-announced agreement in a posting on his Truth Social social media platform: “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!”Hezbollah’s acceptance of a ceasefire in Lebanon after it had suffered heavy blows, and the overthrow of President Bashar Assad in Syria, were both major setbacks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-mideast-proxy-forces-syria-analysis-c853bf613a6d6af7f6aa99b2e60984f8">for Iran and its allies</a>&nbsp;across the region, including Hamas, which was left increasingly isolated.Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll. Israel says it has killed around 17,000 militants — though it has not provided evidence to support the claim. It also blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing the group of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-court-ceasefire-01d093d21a1eadaa31af5708cf1cbf38">The International Court of Justice</a>&nbsp;is investigating allegations brought by South Africa that Israel has committed genocide. The International Criminal Court, a separate body also based in The Hague,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-israel-hamas-warrants-netanyahu-palestinian-arrest-73c854d072e0a1a41b19b2cb2cdd07fa">has issued arrest warrants</a>&nbsp;for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense minister and a Hamas commander for war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the war.Israel and the United States have condemned the actions taken by both courts.Netanyahu also faced great domestic pressure to bring home the hostages,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-war-israel-gaza-captivity-militants-612542191742082f330d55433c012a05">whose plight</a>&nbsp;has captured the nation’s attention. Their families have become a powerful lobbying group with wide public support backed by months of mass protests urging the government to reach a deal with Hamas.Israeli authorities have already concluded that more than a third of the roughly 100 remaining people held captive are dead, and there are fears that others are no longer alive. A series of videos released by Hamas showing surviving hostages in distress, combined with news that a growing number of abducted Israelis have died, put added pressure on the Israeli leader.Hamas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-conflict-endgame-1bfcc187d826596e78090ec6cbf6516c">a militant group that does not accept Israel’s existence</a>, has come under overwhelming pressure from Israeli military operations, including the invasion of Gaza’s largest cities and towns and the takeover of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yahya-sinwar-hamas-leader-killed-obituary-gaza-6965bea4270313c1f1501335c705ac9a">including Yahya Sinwar</a>, who was believed to have helped mastermind the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, have been killed.But its fighters have regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising the prospect of a prolonged insurgency if the war continues.Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas’s military and governing capabilities are destroyed. But it has never been clear what that would entail or if it’s even possible, given the group’s deep roots in Palestinian society, its presence in Lebanon and the occupied West Bank, and its exiled leadership.If the ceasefire takes hold, both sides face many difficult and unanswered questions.As the war winds down, Netanyahu will face growing calls for postwar investigations that could find him at least partially responsible for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-hostages-0c14750240138853a70e38b0c09ef157">the security failures of Oct. 7</a>&nbsp;— the worst in Israel’s history. His far-right governing partners, who opposed a ceasefire deal, could also bring down the coalition and push the country into early elections.There is still no plan for who will govern Gaza after the war. Israel has said it will work with local Palestinians not affiliated with Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. But it is unclear if such partners exist, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with Israeli forces.The United States has tried to advance sweeping postwar plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-authority-government-explainer-aefe041e045f2c60918b42f42185f41e">a reformed Palestinian Authority</a>&nbsp;to govern Gaza with Arab and international assistance. As part of those plans, the U.S. hope Saudi Arabia would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-us-israel-security-deal-hamas-war-gaza-strip-5b09666aeb6de0573c01e99cabb7946e">normalize relations with Israel</a>&nbsp;in return for U.S. security guarantees and aid in setting up a civilian nuclear program.But those plans depend on credible progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state, something Netanyahu and much of Israel’s political class oppose. Netanyahu has said Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza as well as the occupied West Bank, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war that the Palestinians want for their future state.In the absence of a postwar arrangement with Palestinian support, Hamas is likely to remain a significant force in Gaza and could reconstitute its military capabilities if Israeli forces fully withdraw.JERUSALEM (AP) —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says ceasefire deal with Hamas has still not been reached and that the final details were still being sorted out. That comes after multiple mediators had said Israel and Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-hamas-ceasefire-334ecc4420fe3b6fce9f7a27ca886b65">agreed to a ceasefire</a>&nbsp;in Gaza and the release dozens of hostages after more than 15 months of war.In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, large crowds of joyful Palestinians have taken to the streets, with people cheering and honking car horns.Any deal is expected to pause the fighting and bring hopes for winding down the most deadly and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">destructive war</a>&nbsp;Israel and Hamas have ever fought, a conflict that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">destabilized the Middle East</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-campus-protests-966eb531279f8e4381883fc5d79d5466">sparked worldwide protests</a>.Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza began on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7, 2023</a>, when militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. A third of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-gaza-war-hamas-winter-42b21cff477227a7d65bbc30c0bb83fd">100 hostages still held in Gaza</a>&nbsp;are believed to be dead.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel Hamas-war</a>&nbsp;has killed more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-rights-amnesty-genocide-19aa8fb76f7271942e73d5d7a42434e0">46,000 Palestinians</a>&nbsp;in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-casualties-toll-65e18f3362674245356c539e4bc0b67a">more than half the fatalities</a>.--------DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hezbollah-lebanon-anniversary-73916b17394f093f01ca5554cf26b528">the deadliest</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">most destructive</a>&nbsp;fighting between the bitter enemies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736963333807.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736961123961.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Three officials from the U.S. and one from Hamas confirmed that a deal had been reached, while a senior Israeli official said details are still being ironed out.All three U.S. officials requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the deal before the official announcement by mediators in Doha.President Joe Biden was preparing to address the breakthrough agreement later Thursday, officials said.Any agreement still needs to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet, but is expected to go into effect in the coming days.The deal is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that is to be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war altogether.Over six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages are to be reunited with their loved ones after months in in captivity with no contact with the outside world, though it’s unclear if all are alive.It remained unclear exactly when and how many displaced Palestinians would be able to return to what remains of their homes and whether the agreement would lead to a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza — key Hamas demands for releasing the remaining captives.Many longer-term questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-23-2024-a5da6005cfa6734225af35ca460a75fb">postwar Gaza</a>&nbsp;remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction.Still, the announcement offered the first sign of hope in months that Israel and Hamas may be winding down the most deadly and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">destructive war</a>&nbsp;they’ve ever fought, a conflict that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">destabilized the broader Middle East</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-campus-protests-966eb531279f8e4381883fc5d79d5466">sparked worldwide protests</a>.Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population and sparked a humanitarian crisis.More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023.<h2>___</h2>Federman reported from Jerusalem. Magdy reported from Cairo. Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

Read Biden's statement on the hostage release, Gaza ceasefire deal

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.

Just after 12:30a.m. Monday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1995 Dodge Neon on U.S. 75 Highway, near 126th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal drugs within the vehicle. The driver, Colby Lee Gant, 36, of Council Grove, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license suspended, no insurance and inoperable tag lamp.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736890574533.png" alt="Grant photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Grant photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.Just after 12:30a.m. Monday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1995 Dodge Neon on U.S. 75 Highway, near 126th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal drugs within the vehicle. The driver, Colby Lee Gant, 36, of Council Grove, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license suspended, no insurance and inoperable tag lamp.

Kansas sheriff's K9 caught suspect transporting meth

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for another alleged DUI.

Just after 4:30p.m. Tuesday, police arrested 38-year-old Thomas Scripter of Manhattan in the 3000 block of Anderson Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. 

 Scripter was arrested on a requested charges of driving under the influence- 4th or subsequent conviction and failure to have an ignition interlock device. 

He met the the requirement of an $8,000 bond and is no longer in custody.&nbsp;

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for another alleged DUI.Just after 4:30p.m. Tuesday, police arrested 38-year-old Thomas Scripter of Manhattan in the 3000 block of Anderson Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. Scripter was arrested on a requested charges of driving under the influence- 4th or subsequent conviction and failure to have an ignition interlock device. He met the the requirement of an $8,000 bond and is no longer in custody.&nbsp;

Manhattan man accused of 4th or subsequent DUI

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating three separate homicides in Kansas City that occurred Tuesday.

The deceased is identified as Alex Benson, BM, 05/17/2002.

Just before 12:15a.m. Tuesday, officers were patrolling in the area of E 30th Street and Indiana Avenue when they observed a vehicle stopped in the roadway and facing oncoming traffic, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Officers stopped to check the vehicle and any occupants that may be inside. As they approached the vehicle, an adult male victim could be seen inside suffering from apparent gunshot trauma and unresponsive.

EMS responded to the scene and declared the victim deceased.&nbsp;

Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting at an apartment complex in the area of 6300 Manchester Avenue in Kansas City, according to Officer Gonzalez.

When officers arrived on scene, they made contact with the calling party who advised someone was shot inside. Officers entered the residence and located a man suffering from apparent, gunshot trauma and unresponsive. EMS personnel responded to the scene and declared the victim deceased.

Police had no preliminary information at this time that would indicate what lead up to the shooting and have not reported an arrest or suspect information.&nbsp; The name of the victim has not been released.

Just after 4:30p.m. police were dispatched to the 3900 block of N Lister Avenue on a reported shooting disturbance. Upon arrival, officers located an a victim lying outside of a nearby residence suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. EMS transported the victim to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased, according to Officer Gonzalez.

Officers located another adult male victim inside of the home suffering from gunshot trauma who was transported to the hospital with critical injuries. Preliminary investigation indicates the shooting may have started over an argument. We are working to determine the relationship between both shooting victims and identify a person of interest. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to begin collecting evidence and gathering witness statements

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736904780718.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation near 6300 Manchester Avenue on Tuesday afternoon- Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation near 6300 Manchester Avenue on Tuesday afternoon- Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating three separate homicides in Kansas City that occurred Tuesday.The deceased is identified as Alex Benson, BM, 05/17/2002.Just before 12:15a.m. Tuesday, officers were patrolling in the area of E 30th Street and Indiana Avenue when they observed a vehicle stopped in the roadway and facing oncoming traffic, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Officers stopped to check the vehicle and any occupants that may be inside. As they approached the vehicle, an adult male victim could be seen inside suffering from apparent gunshot trauma and unresponsive.EMS responded to the scene and declared the victim deceased.&nbsp;Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting at an apartment complex in the area of 6300 Manchester Avenue in Kansas City, according to Officer Gonzalez.When officers arrived on scene, they made contact with the calling party who advised someone was shot inside. Officers entered the residence and located a man suffering from apparent, gunshot trauma and unresponsive. EMS personnel responded to the scene and declared the victim deceased.Police had no preliminary information at this time that would indicate what lead up to the shooting and have not reported an arrest or suspect information.&nbsp; The name of the victim has not been released.Just after 4:30p.m. police were dispatched to the 3900 block of N Lister Avenue on a reported shooting disturbance. Upon arrival, officers located an a victim lying outside of a nearby residence suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. EMS transported the victim to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased, according to Officer Gonzalez.Officers located another adult male victim inside of the home suffering from gunshot trauma who was transported to the hospital with critical injuries. Preliminary investigation indicates the shooting may have started over an argument. We are working to determine the relationship between both shooting victims and identify a person of interest. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to begin collecting evidence and gathering witness statements

Police: 3 homicides in Kansas City on Tuesday

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fires burning homes and businesses in Los Angeles for a week have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfires-southern-california-2dc4d256d8681f7d035f64730982aef0">at least 25 people</a>, displaced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/la-wildfire-flee-evacuation-wind-palisades-f302b4cd347f9a4f4fe707fa0a717aca">thousands of others</a>&nbsp;and destroyed more than 12,000 buildings in what might be the most expensive set of conflagrations in the nation's history.

The blazes started Jan. 7, fueled by fierce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wind-wildfires-climate-change-weather-42b55ae1e66b56a6375300e448f01946">Santa Ana winds</a>&nbsp;that have posed problems for the large forces of firefighters deployed across several areas of the sprawling city. Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires have consumed about 63 square miles (163 square kilometers). Cal Fire reported containment of the Palisades Fire at 17% and the Eaton Fire at 35% on Tuesday.

The Palisades Fire, along the coast, has been blamed for eight deaths, while the Eaton Fire farther inland has been blamed for 17 others, the LA County medical examiner's office said. Nearly 30 people were missing.

Investigators are still trying to determine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-possible-causes-6112488f835e45f53c67d4d03d7a1e4f">what sparked the fires</a>. They could be the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest ever</a>. Government agencies haven't provided preliminary damage estimates yet, but AccuWeather, a company that provides data on weather and its impact, puts the damage and economic losses at $250 billion to $275 billion.

Here's a closer look at what to know about the fires.

Strong winds kick up in the fire-plagued city

Dry winds gusted Tuesday up to 50 mph (80 kph) in the mountains around LA, said meteorologist Todd Hall of the National Weather Service. That could increase, with the potential for more powerful gusts across the mountains into coastal and valley areas.

A red-flag warning already has been in effect, but the weather service has issued a rare warning about a “particularly dangerous situation” related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-things-to-know-winds-f93d41dc901e352b63e86ab67ef7790e">severe fire conditions.</a>&nbsp;Strong winds are predicted through Wednesday, forecasters said.

The Santa Ana winds have turned seasonal wildfires into infernos that have leveled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;in and around Los Angeles where there has been no significant rainfall in over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">eight months</a>.

Southern California’s winds typically flow onshore from the Pacific, carrying moist air onto land. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wind-wildfires-climate-change-weather-42b55ae1e66b56a6375300e448f01946">Santa Ana winds</a>&nbsp;are warm currents that move in the opposite direction. They usually occur from September through May.

FEMA delivers cash assistance to affected households

About 40,000 people have applied for assistance from Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has already disbursed more than $8 million for immediate needs like water, food, baby formula and gas. The initial money goes directly into bank accounts, regional FEMA administrator Robert J. Fenton, Jr. said Tuesday, denying misinformation about vouchers.

President Joe Biden did say that the federal government would pay 100% of the firefighting and recovery costs in the first 180 days. But that doesn’t mean FEMA will cover 100% of individual families’ costs — the maximum amount FEMA can provide is $43,600, Fenton said.

Representatives from FEMA, the Small Business Administration, the state and several charities gathered to explain the process at a disaster recovery center at UCLA Research Park West and Pasadena City College Community Education Center.

FEMA offers up to $770 to help cover the evacuees' immediate needs, but its larger grants generally aren’t available until after insurance companies pay out. Someone who receives a maximum grant from FEMA might be eligible for another $10,000 grant from the state.

For other needs beyond what insurance and FEMA covers, the Small Business Administration offers low-interest loans: Businesses can borrow up to $2 million, while homeowners can borrow up to $500,000 for rebuilding and another $100,000 for personal property.

<a href="https://recovery.lacounty.gov/">LA County Recovers</a>, a government-run program, posted interactive maps on its website that show the damage.

The maps for the&nbsp;<a href="https://recovery.lacounty.gov/eaton-fire/">Eaton</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://recovery.lacounty.gov/palisades-fire/">Palisades</a>&nbsp;fires allow users to click on an icon and get a description of the type of structure, such as a home or commercial building, and the type of damage, such as “major” or “destroyed.”

Addresses may be entered into a search bar to find a specific location. Users can also see photos of the damaged buildings.

Nine people have been charged with looting, including a group that stole an Emmy award from a house that had been evacuated, said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.

Another pair took more than $200,000 worth of items in a neighborhood filled with mansions, he said.

Price gouging has become an issue with hotels, short-term rentals and medical supplies. Scammers are also soliciting donations for bogus relief efforts, authorities said.

And three people were arrested outside the fire zones since Sunday for starting small fires, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said. The fires were spotted by alert citizens and quickly extinguished. One person was using a barbecue lighter to start fires. Another lit a trash can on fire. The third was caught lighting brush on fire. All were arrested on suspicion of arson, McDonnell said.

Sewer, water and power infrastructure across the region has been significantly damaged, and&nbsp;<a href="https://lacounty.gov/emergency/">several utilities</a>&nbsp;have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-los-angeles-wildfires-drinking-water-contamination-121cc5d8ff22e577342e7fa79de791ae">declared their drinking water unsafe</a>&nbsp;until extensive testing can prove otherwise.

Toxic chemicals from the fires can get into damaged drinking water systems. Experts say filtering or boiling won’t help.

Los Angeles County has more than 200 water service providers, but so far only&nbsp;<a href="https://lacounty.gov/emergency/">a handful</a>&nbsp;believe that damage or loss of pressure may have resulted in chemical contamination and have issued “Do Not Drink” notices.

Utilities are focused on ensuring there’s enough water for fighting fires, though some are beginning to test for contaminants. It can take weeks to months of testing before water can be declared safe for drinking.

Thousands remain evacuated or without power

About 88,000 people from highly populated neighborhoods including Pacific Palisades, Altadena and others remained under evacuation orders Tuesday. Another 84,800 might be ordered to evacuate. An overnight curfew remains in effect for evacuated areas, and violators have been arrested, authorities said.

<a href="https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/EPO/Pages/Wildfire%20Pages/Facility-Evacuations.aspx">Around 850</a>&nbsp;patients and residents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-escape-evacuate-senior-citizens-7068811f9be7a03c4932817320d97b73">nursing homes</a>, assisted living facilities and group homes were evacuated after the blazes last week, according to the California Department of Public Health.

More than 80,000 customers, more than half in Los Angeles County, were without power across California on Tuesday, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://poweroutage.us/">PowerOutage.us</a>, which tracks outages nationwide.

Thousands have fled and many have lost their homes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-los-angeles-celebrities-1337e6e1f6d631aa931684ad185310cd">Hollywood stars</a>&nbsp;Billy Crystal and Mandy Moore, and Los Angeles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-lakers-redick-faef4a6bb8f137017ca716ebb7c511d6">Lakers head coach JJ Redick</a>.

The fires scorched more than landmarks and celebrity homes

Although the fires have reduced a number of celebrity mansions and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/landmarks-destroyed-california-wildfires-135b5d227f3ea1b5b9f877b48e3bbdb9">movie landmarks</a>&nbsp;to ashes, they also burned through more affordable communities such as Altadena, which has served&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfire-pacific-palisades-pasadena-altadena-inequality-63ea76d186740359f7f5dd188896354f">generations of Black families</a>&nbsp;who might have faced discriminatory housing practices elsewhere.

The fires have also destroyed several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-destroyed-churches-synagogue-mosque-eba09c35bd7c851c57574171aa4ed34d">places of worship</a>, including a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic parish and a half-dozen Protestant churches.

Investigators are looking into what caused the fires

Investigators haven't determined the cause. But a person whose home was destroyed in the Eaton blaze claims in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-eaton-cause-utility-fireworks-eb0f4f71e437f1ba692f929e9633c856">a lawsuit filed Monday</a>&nbsp;that Southern California Edison’s equipment sparked it. Gabriela Ornelas, an Edison spokesperson, said the utility is aware that a lawsuit has been filed, but has not yet reviewed it.

Lightning is the most common source of fires in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association, but investigators quickly ruled that out. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton Fire, which started in eastern Los Angeles County.

The next two most common causes are fires that are intentionally set or caused by electricity lines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736908788007.png" alt="Image Red Cross Los Angeles" />
 <figcaption>Image Red Cross Los Angeles</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fires burning homes and businesses in Los Angeles for a week have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfires-southern-california-2dc4d256d8681f7d035f64730982aef0">at least 25 people</a>, displaced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/la-wildfire-flee-evacuation-wind-palisades-f302b4cd347f9a4f4fe707fa0a717aca">thousands of others</a>&nbsp;and destroyed more than 12,000 buildings in what might be the most expensive set of conflagrations in the nation's history.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wildfire-impacted residents can pick up their mail at relocated post offices or have mail forwarded to a temporary location. Learn more: <a href="https://t.co/EIu0j3dkyZ">https://t.co/EIu0j3dkyZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/zPRzYuTPaY">pic.twitter.com/zPRzYuTPaY</a>&mdash; Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/CountyofLA/status/1879353054094618902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The blazes started Jan. 7, fueled by fierce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wind-wildfires-climate-change-weather-42b55ae1e66b56a6375300e448f01946">Santa Ana winds</a>&nbsp;that have posed problems for the large forces of firefighters deployed across several areas of the sprawling city. Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires have consumed about 63 square miles (163 square kilometers). Cal Fire reported containment of the Palisades Fire at 17% and the Eaton Fire at 35% on Tuesday.The Palisades Fire, along the coast, has been blamed for eight deaths, while the Eaton Fire farther inland has been blamed for 17 others, the LA County medical examiner's office said. Nearly 30 people were missing.Investigators are still trying to determine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-possible-causes-6112488f835e45f53c67d4d03d7a1e4f">what sparked the fires</a>. They could be the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest ever</a>. Government agencies haven't provided preliminary damage estimates yet, but AccuWeather, a company that provides data on weather and its impact, puts the damage and economic losses at $250 billion to $275 billion.Here's a closer look at what to know about the fires.<h2>Strong winds kick up in the fire-plagued city</h2>Dry winds gusted Tuesday up to 50 mph (80 kph) in the mountains around LA, said meteorologist Todd Hall of the National Weather Service. That could increase, with the potential for more powerful gusts across the mountains into coastal and valley areas.A red-flag warning already has been in effect, but the weather service has issued a rare warning about a “particularly dangerous situation” related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-things-to-know-winds-f93d41dc901e352b63e86ab67ef7790e">severe fire conditions.</a>&nbsp;Strong winds are predicted through Wednesday, forecasters said.The Santa Ana winds have turned seasonal wildfires into infernos that have leveled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;in and around Los Angeles where there has been no significant rainfall in over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">eight months</a>.Southern California’s winds typically flow onshore from the Pacific, carrying moist air onto land. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wind-wildfires-climate-change-weather-42b55ae1e66b56a6375300e448f01946">Santa Ana winds</a>&nbsp;are warm currents that move in the opposite direction. They usually occur from September through May.<h2>FEMA delivers cash assistance to affected households</h2>About 40,000 people have applied for assistance from Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has already disbursed more than $8 million for immediate needs like water, food, baby formula and gas. The initial money goes directly into bank accounts, regional FEMA administrator Robert J. Fenton, Jr. said Tuesday, denying misinformation about vouchers.President Joe Biden did say that the federal government would pay 100% of the firefighting and recovery costs in the first 180 days. But that doesn’t mean FEMA will cover 100% of individual families’ costs — the maximum amount FEMA can provide is $43,600, Fenton said.Representatives from FEMA, the Small Business Administration, the state and several charities gathered to explain the process at a disaster recovery center at UCLA Research Park West and Pasadena City College Community Education Center.FEMA offers up to $770 to help cover the evacuees' immediate needs, but its larger grants generally aren’t available until after insurance companies pay out. Someone who receives a maximum grant from FEMA might be eligible for another $10,000 grant from the state.For other needs beyond what insurance and FEMA covers, the Small Business Administration offers low-interest loans: Businesses can borrow up to $2 million, while homeowners can borrow up to $500,000 for rebuilding and another $100,000 for personal property.<h2>Interactive maps show damaged homes</h2><a href="https://recovery.lacounty.gov/">LA County Recovers</a>, a government-run program, posted interactive maps on its website that show the damage.The maps for the&nbsp;<a href="https://recovery.lacounty.gov/eaton-fire/">Eaton</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://recovery.lacounty.gov/palisades-fire/">Palisades</a>&nbsp;fires allow users to click on an icon and get a description of the type of structure, such as a home or commercial building, and the type of damage, such as “major” or “destroyed.”Addresses may be entered into a search bar to find a specific location. Users can also see photos of the damaged buildings.<h2>Looting, price gouging and arson</h2>Nine people have been charged with looting, including a group that stole an Emmy award from a house that had been evacuated, said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.Another pair took more than $200,000 worth of items in a neighborhood filled with mansions, he said.Price gouging has become an issue with hotels, short-term rentals and medical supplies. Scammers are also soliciting donations for bogus relief efforts, authorities said.And three people were arrested outside the fire zones since Sunday for starting small fires, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said. The fires were spotted by alert citizens and quickly extinguished. One person was using a barbecue lighter to start fires. Another lit a trash can on fire. The third was caught lighting brush on fire. All were arrested on suspicion of arson, McDonnell said.<h2>Water safety worries utilities</h2>Sewer, water and power infrastructure across the region has been significantly damaged, and&nbsp;<a href="https://lacounty.gov/emergency/">several utilities</a>&nbsp;have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-los-angeles-wildfires-drinking-water-contamination-121cc5d8ff22e577342e7fa79de791ae">declared their drinking water unsafe</a>&nbsp;until extensive testing can prove otherwise.Toxic chemicals from the fires can get into damaged drinking water systems. Experts say filtering or boiling won’t help.Los Angeles County has more than 200 water service providers, but so far only&nbsp;<a href="https://lacounty.gov/emergency/">a handful</a>&nbsp;believe that damage or loss of pressure may have resulted in chemical contamination and have issued “Do Not Drink” notices.Utilities are focused on ensuring there’s enough water for fighting fires, though some are beginning to test for contaminants. It can take weeks to months of testing before water can be declared safe for drinking.<h2>Thousands remain evacuated or without power</h2>About 88,000 people from highly populated neighborhoods including Pacific Palisades, Altadena and others remained under evacuation orders Tuesday. Another 84,800 might be ordered to evacuate. An overnight curfew remains in effect for evacuated areas, and violators have been arrested, authorities said.<a href="https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/EPO/Pages/Wildfire%20Pages/Facility-Evacuations.aspx">Around 850</a>&nbsp;patients and residents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-escape-evacuate-senior-citizens-7068811f9be7a03c4932817320d97b73">nursing homes</a>, assisted living facilities and group homes were evacuated after the blazes last week, according to the California Department of Public Health.More than 80,000 customers, more than half in Los Angeles County, were without power across California on Tuesday, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://poweroutage.us/">PowerOutage.us</a>, which tracks outages nationwide.Thousands have fled and many have lost their homes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-los-angeles-celebrities-1337e6e1f6d631aa931684ad185310cd">Hollywood stars</a>&nbsp;Billy Crystal and Mandy Moore, and Los Angeles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-lakers-redick-faef4a6bb8f137017ca716ebb7c511d6">Lakers head coach JJ Redick</a>.<h2>The fires scorched more than landmarks and celebrity homes</h2>Although the fires have reduced a number of celebrity mansions and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/landmarks-destroyed-california-wildfires-135b5d227f3ea1b5b9f877b48e3bbdb9">movie landmarks</a>&nbsp;to ashes, they also burned through more affordable communities such as Altadena, which has served&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfire-pacific-palisades-pasadena-altadena-inequality-63ea76d186740359f7f5dd188896354f">generations of Black families</a>&nbsp;who might have faced discriminatory housing practices elsewhere.The fires have also destroyed several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-destroyed-churches-synagogue-mosque-eba09c35bd7c851c57574171aa4ed34d">places of worship</a>, including a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic parish and a half-dozen Protestant churches.<h2>Investigators are looking into what caused the fires</h2>Investigators haven't determined the cause. But a person whose home was destroyed in the Eaton blaze claims in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-eaton-cause-utility-fireworks-eb0f4f71e437f1ba692f929e9633c856">a lawsuit filed Monday</a>&nbsp;that Southern California Edison’s equipment sparked it. Gabriela Ornelas, an Edison spokesperson, said the utility is aware that a lawsuit has been filed, but has not yet reviewed it.Lightning is the most common source of fires in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association, but investigators quickly ruled that out. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton Fire, which started in eastern Los Angeles County.The next two most common causes are fires that are intentionally set or caused by electricity lines.

Los Angeles fires: Death toll climbs; dozens still missing

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.

Just before 4 a.m. January 12., a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on an  Acura passenger vehicle on 150th Road, just west of U.S. 75 Highway in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse

.  Nichole Hoyal Allen, 40, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license suspended, improper driving on laned roadway and a defective tag lamp.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736890783002.png" alt="Allen-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Allen-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.Just before 4 a.m. January 12., a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on an Acura passenger vehicle on 150th Road, just west of U.S. 75 Highway in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. Nichole Hoyal Allen, 40, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license suspended, improper driving on laned roadway and a defective tag lamp.

Kan. woman with suspended license was transporting meth

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime.

Just after 10p.m. January 12,, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received notification of a stabbing in the 7300 block of SW Robins Drive, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

At the scene, deputies located a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman both suffering from stab wounds. One victim was transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with series injuries

Deputies arrested 37-year-old Chadwyck P. N. L. Myers, 37, of Topeka into custody on requested charges of Aggravated battery and&nbsp;Criminal damage to property. The suspect and the victims were known to each other, according to Deputy Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736896046123.png" alt="Myers-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Myers-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime.Just after 10p.m. January 12,, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received notification of a stabbing in the 7300 block of SW Robins Drive, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.At the scene, deputies located a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman both suffering from stab wounds. One victim was transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with series injuriesDeputies arrested 37-year-old Chadwyck P. N. L. Myers, 37, of Topeka into custody on requested charges of Aggravated battery and&nbsp;Criminal damage to property. The suspect and the victims were known to each other, according to Deputy Christian.

Sheriff: Kan. man stabbed 78-year-old man, 68-year-old woman

B<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEE-ANN%20DURBIN%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">y DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer</a>

If you want to hang out or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-national-national-ead6289a9cce4e8e9051d74d355c2205">use the restroom</a>&nbsp;at Starbucks, you’re going to have to buy something.

Starbucks on Monday said it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-small-business-2305a7e4e6de4b71bdd38631882c7bd4">reversing a policy</a>&nbsp;that invited everyone into its stores. A new code of conduct – which will be posted in all company-owned North American stores – also bans discrimination or harassment, consumption of outside alcohol, smoking, vaping, drug use and panhandling.

Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson said the new rules are designed to help prioritize paying customers. Anderson said most other retailers already have similar rules.

“We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our stores,” Anderson said. “By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of our spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone.”

The code of conduct warns that violators will be asked to leave, and says the store may call law enforcement, if necessary. Starbucks said employees would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3b58087b85a430ab45855944bc76310">receive training</a>&nbsp;on enforcing the new policy.

The new rules reverse an open-door policy put in place in 2018, after two Black men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks where they had gone for a business meeting. The individual store had a policy of asking non-paying customers to leave, and the men hadn't bought anything. But the arrest, which was caught on video, was a major embarrassment for the company.

At the time, Starbucks Chairman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-howard-schultz-053345a59f1bdb53b9f55355865b216e">Howard Schultz</a>&nbsp;said he didn’t want people to feel “less than” if they were refused access.

“We don’t want to become a public bathroom, but we’re going to make the right decision a hundred percent of the time and give people the key," Schultz said.

Since then, though, employees and customers have struggled with unruly and even dangerous behavior in stores. In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-portland-seattle-183c298121860422c7b93b7b5a13c088">Starbucks closed 16 stores</a>&nbsp;around the country — including six in Los Angeles and six in its hometown of Seattle — for repeated safety issues, including drug use and other disruptive behaviors that threatened staff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736805805951.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>B<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEE-ANN%20DURBIN%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">y DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer</a>If you want to hang out or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-national-national-ead6289a9cce4e8e9051d74d355c2205">use the restroom</a>&nbsp;at Starbucks, you’re going to have to buy something.Starbucks on Monday said it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-small-business-2305a7e4e6de4b71bdd38631882c7bd4">reversing a policy</a>&nbsp;that invited everyone into its stores. A new code of conduct – which will be posted in all company-owned North American stores – also bans discrimination or harassment, consumption of outside alcohol, smoking, vaping, drug use and panhandling.Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson said the new rules are designed to help prioritize paying customers. Anderson said most other retailers already have similar rules.“We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our stores,” Anderson said. “By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of our spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone.”The code of conduct warns that violators will be asked to leave, and says the store may call law enforcement, if necessary. Starbucks said employees would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3b58087b85a430ab45855944bc76310">receive training</a>&nbsp;on enforcing the new policy.The new rules reverse an open-door policy put in place in 2018, after two Black men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks where they had gone for a business meeting. The individual store had a policy of asking non-paying customers to leave, and the men hadn't bought anything. But the arrest, which was caught on video, was a major embarrassment for the company.At the time, Starbucks Chairman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-howard-schultz-053345a59f1bdb53b9f55355865b216e">Howard Schultz</a>&nbsp;said he didn’t want people to feel “less than” if they were refused access.“We don’t want to become a public bathroom, but we’re going to make the right decision a hundred percent of the time and give people the key," Schultz said.Since then, though, employees and customers have struggled with unruly and even dangerous behavior in stores. In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-portland-seattle-183c298121860422c7b93b7b5a13c088">Starbucks closed 16 stores</a>&nbsp;around the country — including six in Los Angeles and six in its hometown of Seattle — for repeated safety issues, including drug use and other disruptive behaviors that threatened staff.

Hanging out at Starbucks will now cost you; company reverses policy

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating a residential robbery have made three arrests and continue searching for additional suspects.

Earlyi Sunday, two victims reported that suspects entered their home in the 1000 block of Ellis Street in Wichita armed with shotguns and handguns, forcing them into a bedroom at gunpoint, according to Wichita Police Department spokesperson Andrew Ford.

The victims were then restrained with zip ties while the suspects stole several electronic devices and three handguns. The victims, who were familiar with the suspects, began searching for their stolen property after the incident. One victim discovered that his phone and vehicle keys were missing and tracked their location to the 13600 block of West Nantucket in Wichita, a residence believed to be associated with one of the suspects.

Wichita Police responded to the Nantucket address, established a perimeter, and attempted to mcommunicate with the occupants. Officers engaged with individuals inside the residence through a Ring doorbell camera, during which an occupant inadvertently activated the speaker. This revealed a conversation indicating the occupants were aware of law enforcement’s presence.

Despite repeated attempts to negotiate, the individuals refused to exit, prompting the activation of the SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Team.

While waiting for the search warrant, one suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident. During the subsequent search of the home, two additional suspects were found hiding in the attic and were also taken into custody.

Two suspects remain at large, and investigators are actively working to identify and locate them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Sedgwick County jail records 33-year-old Andrew Denning is being held on a requested charge of Aggravated robbery, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, ID theft, theft of property or services, probation violation and numerous drug allegations.&nbsp; Trinity Cook, 19; and George Bos, 62, are being held on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736723276240.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating a residential robbery have made three arrests and continue searching for additional suspects.Earlyi Sunday, two victims reported that suspects entered their home in the 1000 block of Ellis Street in Wichita armed with shotguns and handguns, forcing them into a bedroom at gunpoint, according to Wichita Police Department spokesperson Andrew Ford.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736767403069.png" alt="George Bos-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>George Bos-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>The victims were then restrained with zip ties while the suspects stole several electronic devices and three handguns. The victims, who were familiar with the suspects, began searching for their stolen property after the incident. One victim discovered that his phone and vehicle keys were missing and tracked their location to the 13600 block of West Nantucket in Wichita, a residence believed to be associated with one of the suspects.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736767350735.png" alt="Trinity Cook-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Trinity Cook-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita Police responded to the Nantucket address, established a perimeter, and attempted to mcommunicate with the occupants. Officers engaged with individuals inside the residence through a Ring doorbell camera, during which an occupant inadvertently activated the speaker. This revealed a conversation indicating the occupants were aware of law enforcement’s presence.Despite repeated attempts to negotiate, the individuals refused to exit, prompting the activation of the SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Team.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736767770109.png" alt="Andrew Denning" />
 <figcaption>Andrew Denning</figcaption>
 </figure>While waiting for the search warrant, one suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident. During the subsequent search of the home, two additional suspects were found hiding in the attic and were also taken into custody.Two suspects remain at large, and investigators are actively working to identify and locate them.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Sedgwick County jail records 33-year-old Andrew Denning is being held on a requested charge of Aggravated robbery, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, ID theft, theft of property or services, probation violation and numerous drug allegations.&nbsp; Trinity Cook, 19; and George Bos, 62, are being held on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

Robbery suspects with shotguns forced their way into Kan. home

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22CHRISTOPHER%20WEBER%20and%20HOLLY%20RAMER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and HOLLY RAMER &nbsp;Associated Press</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After a weekend spent blocking the explosive growth of fires that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area, firefighters got a slight break with calmer weather but cast a wary eye on a forecast for yet more wind.

Should that happen, already burned homes and valleys could flare anew, sending embers to unburned territory miles downwind. New fires could add to the complication.

The death toll surged late Sunday with an update from the Los Angeles County medical examiner. At least 16 people were missing, a number authorities said was also likely to rise.

The relative calm Sunday allowed some people to return to previously evacuated areas, however.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph (113 kph). The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, warned fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns at a community meeting Sunday night.

“It will kind of ebb and flow over the next couple days,” Burns said. “Tomorrow night, it will really ramp up.”

Spotting — new fires caused by blowing embers — could happen as much as 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) or more downwind of areas that have already burned, Burns said.

Despite their recent losses, stress, and uncertainty, the crowd in a Pasadena City College gym was mostly respectful, in contrast with harsh criticism elsewhere for Los Angeles and California leaders. Applause followed each of the experts, police, firefighters and community leaders who spoke.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help firefighters fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. “We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” Marrone said.

Fire retardant dropped by aircraft will act as a barrier along hillsides, officials said.

Fierce Santa Ana winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">eight months.</a>

Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Investigators were reconciling whether some of the missing might be among the dead but so far no children were among those reported missing, he said.

Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 24 over the weekend. Eight deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 16 to the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

The toll could rise still more as cadaver dogs conducted systematic searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities established a center where people could report the missing.

Officials also were building an online database to allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed. In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighborhoods.

“There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public," Crowley said at a Sunday morning briefing. “There’s no power, there’s no water, there’s broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures.”

Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.

About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nine shelters, Luna said. Officials said most of the orders in the Palisades area were unlikely to be lifted before the red flag warnings expire Wednesday evening.

“Please rest assured that first thing Thursday we will begin talking about repopulation,” Marrone said.

In all, four fires had consumed more than 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades Fire was 11% contained and containment on the Eaton Fire reached 27%. Those two blazes alone accounted for 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers).

Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico.

Fighting to save public and private areas

After a fierce battle Saturday, firefighters managed to fight back flames in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities near Pacific Palisades not far from the coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill.

The fire ran through chaparral-covered hillsides and also briefly threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.

Looting continued to be a concern, with authorities reporting more arrests as the devastation grew. Those arrested included two people who posed as firefighters going into houses, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Michael Lorenz said.

With California National Guard troops on hand to guard properties, Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X: “California will NOT allow for looting.”

The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA had burned more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfire-structure-damage-3f319dfaa36e583c06c8d49bd835084e">12,000 structures</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-possible-causes-6112488f835e45f53c67d4d03d7a1e4f">No cause</a>&nbsp;for the largest fires was determined.

Early estimates suggest they could be the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest ever</a>, as much as $150 billion according to an AccuWeather estimate.

Along with crews from other states and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/california-wildfires-gavin-newsom-mexico-los-angeles-area-wildfires-d0e244ec61e04838ba6d8bcde8522e31">Mexico</a>, hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-covid-health-california-climate-and-environment-701ee89ceb4b7ba3e1a412b83c2a2f3f">inmates</a>&nbsp;from California’s prison system were also helping fight the fires. Nearly 950 prison firefighters were removing timber and brush ahead of the fires to slow their spread, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-injuries-deaths-0ff52ff1735d7e9f858248177a2a60c3">practice is controversial</a>&nbsp;as the inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work: $10.24 each day, with more for 24-hour shifts, according to the corrections department.

Newsom issued an executive order Sunday aimed at fast-tracking rebuilding by suspending some environmental regulations and ensuring that property tax assessments were not increased.

“We’ve got to let people know that we have their back,” he said. “We want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher quality building standards, more modern standards."

More than 24,000 people had registered for federal assistance made available by a major disaster declaration by President Joe Biden, according to the White House.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that she had spoken with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration and expected that he would visit the city.

Bass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayor-karen-bass-la-fires-leadership-99e52cf69cc656ee7e0328c6b609be74">faces a critical test of her leadership</a>&nbsp;during the city's greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.

Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press journalists Julie Walker in New York, Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736723986016.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22CHRISTOPHER%20WEBER%20and%20HOLLY%20RAMER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and HOLLY RAMER &nbsp;Associated Press</a>LOS ANGELES (AP) — After a weekend spent blocking the explosive growth of fires that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area, firefighters got a slight break with calmer weather but cast a wary eye on a forecast for yet more wind.Should that happen, already burned homes and valleys could flare anew, sending embers to unburned territory miles downwind. New fires could add to the complication.The death toll surged late Sunday with an update from the Los Angeles County medical examiner. At least 16 people were missing, a number authorities said was also likely to rise.The relative calm Sunday allowed some people to return to previously evacuated areas, however.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HAPPENING NOW: Your Cal Guard helicopters are in the fight! These air assets are dropping water on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PalisadesFire?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PalisadesFire</a> joining CAL FIRE’s massive efforts to contain these devastating blazes. <a href="https://twitter.com/USNorthernCmd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNorthernCmd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CAgovernor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CAgovernor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CAL_FIRE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CAL_FIRE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Cal_OES?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cal_OES</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/USNationalGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNationalGuard</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/forestservice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@forestservice</a> <a href="https://t.co/7uxoh3x3gR">pic.twitter.com/7uxoh3x3gR</a>&mdash; The California National Guard (@TheCalGuard) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheCalGuard/status/1878582169976881502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph (113 kph). The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, warned fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns at a community meeting Sunday night.“It will kind of ebb and flow over the next couple days,” Burns said. “Tomorrow night, it will really ramp up.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SantaAnaWind?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SantaAnaWind</a> combined with dry air and very dry vegetation will maintain high WILDFIRE RISK through Wednesday. Continue to practice fire safety by avoiding work that creates sparks, report any smoke, and stay informed. Gather items you will need, should you be evacuated. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAwx</a> <a href="https://t.co/V7yPdDdHrb">pic.twitter.com/V7yPdDdHrb</a>&mdash; NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSLosAngeles/status/1878255936319733840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Spotting — new fires caused by blowing embers — could happen as much as 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) or more downwind of areas that have already burned, Burns said.Despite their recent losses, stress, and uncertainty, the crowd in a Pasadena City College gym was mostly respectful, in contrast with harsh criticism elsewhere for Los Angeles and California leaders. Applause followed each of the experts, police, firefighters and community leaders who spoke.Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help firefighters fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. “We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” Marrone said.Fire retardant dropped by aircraft will act as a barrier along hillsides, officials said.Fierce Santa Ana winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">eight months.</a>Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Investigators were reconciling whether some of the missing might be among the dead but so far no children were among those reported missing, he said.Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 24 over the weekend. Eight deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 16 to the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.The toll could rise still more as cadaver dogs conducted systematic searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities established a center where people could report the missing.Officials also were building an online database to allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed. In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighborhoods.“There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public," Crowley said at a Sunday morning briefing. “There’s no power, there’s no water, there’s broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures.”Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nine shelters, Luna said. Officials said most of the orders in the Palisades area were unlikely to be lifted before the red flag warnings expire Wednesday evening.“Please rest assured that first thing Thursday we will begin talking about repopulation,” Marrone said.In all, four fires had consumed more than 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades Fire was 11% contained and containment on the Eaton Fire reached 27%. Those two blazes alone accounted for 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers).Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico.<h2>Fighting to save public and private areas</h2>After a fierce battle Saturday, firefighters managed to fight back flames in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities near Pacific Palisades not far from the coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill.The fire ran through chaparral-covered hillsides and also briefly threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.<h2>Arrests for looting</h2>Looting continued to be a concern, with authorities reporting more arrests as the devastation grew. Those arrested included two people who posed as firefighters going into houses, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Michael Lorenz said.With California National Guard troops on hand to guard properties, Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X: “California will NOT allow for looting.”<h2>Historical cost</h2>The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA had burned more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfire-structure-damage-3f319dfaa36e583c06c8d49bd835084e">12,000 structures</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-possible-causes-6112488f835e45f53c67d4d03d7a1e4f">No cause</a>&nbsp;for the largest fires was determined.Early estimates suggest they could be the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest ever</a>, as much as $150 billion according to an AccuWeather estimate.<h2>Inmate firefighters on the front lines</h2>Along with crews from other states and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/california-wildfires-gavin-newsom-mexico-los-angeles-area-wildfires-d0e244ec61e04838ba6d8bcde8522e31">Mexico</a>, hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-covid-health-california-climate-and-environment-701ee89ceb4b7ba3e1a412b83c2a2f3f">inmates</a>&nbsp;from California’s prison system were also helping fight the fires. Nearly 950 prison firefighters were removing timber and brush ahead of the fires to slow their spread, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-injuries-deaths-0ff52ff1735d7e9f858248177a2a60c3">practice is controversial</a>&nbsp;as the inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work: $10.24 each day, with more for 24-hour shifts, according to the corrections department.<h2>Rebuilding will be a challenge</h2>Newsom issued an executive order Sunday aimed at fast-tracking rebuilding by suspending some environmental regulations and ensuring that property tax assessments were not increased.“We’ve got to let people know that we have their back,” he said. “We want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher quality building standards, more modern standards."More than 24,000 people had registered for federal assistance made available by a major disaster declaration by President Joe Biden, according to the White House.Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that she had spoken with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration and expected that he would visit the city.<h2>Leadership accused of skimping</h2>Bass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayor-karen-bass-la-fires-leadership-99e52cf69cc656ee7e0328c6b609be74">faces a critical test of her leadership</a>&nbsp;during the city's greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.___Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press journalists Julie Walker in New York, Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed.

Los Angeles fire death toll surges; firefighters brace for more fierce winds

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a rural Kansas burglary have made two arrests.

&nbsp;Between January 3rd and January 5th, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office responded to several burglary and theft reports near Osage City and one near Overbrook, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. These incidents prompted an immediate response by deputies and investigators who began working diligently to gather information and follow leads.

Through their efforts, deputies and investigators developed key information regarding potential suspects involved in these crimes. A search warrant was executed, and most of the stolen property was recovered.

Deputies took two suspects into custody as a result of the ongoing investigation: Colton R. Hill, 23, of Osage City is being held on requested charges of Felony burglary, Attempted burglary, Felony theft, Misdemeanor theft, Driving while license suspended and Illegal registration.

Brian R. Stevenson, 52, of Pomona was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Felony burglary, Attempted burglary, Felony theft and Misdemeanor theft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736542042881.png" alt="Stevenson-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Stevenson-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a rural Kansas burglary have made two arrests.&nbsp;Between January 3rd and January 5th, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office responded to several burglary and theft reports near Osage City and one near Overbrook, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. These incidents prompted an immediate response by deputies and investigators who began working diligently to gather information and follow leads.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736541994662.png" alt="Hill photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Hill photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>Through their efforts, deputies and investigators developed key information regarding potential suspects involved in these crimes. A search warrant was executed, and most of the stolen property was recovered.Deputies took two suspects into custody as a result of the ongoing investigation: Colton R. Hill, 23, of Osage City is being held on requested charges of Felony burglary, Attempted burglary, Felony theft, Misdemeanor theft, Driving while license suspended and Illegal registration.Brian R. Stevenson, 52, of Pomona was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Felony burglary, Attempted burglary, Felony theft and Misdemeanor theft.