Russian forces have begun pulling out of positions in northeast Syria in an area still controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces after the group lost most of its territory in an offensive by government forces.

Associated Press journalists visited one base next to the Qamishli airport Tuesday and found it guarded by SDF fighters who said the Russians had begun moving their equipment out in recent days.

Palestinians are eagerly awaiting the reopening of the Rafah border crossing, which is Gaza's lifeline and only gateway to the outside world that wasn't controlled by Israel before the war.

The opening is expected after Israel on Monday announced that the remains of the final hostage in Gaza, Ran Gvili, had been recovered. Hours earlier, Israel had said it would open the Rafah crossing with limitations once the search operation for Gvili was complete.

Fighting this month between Syria's government and Kurdish-led forces left civilians on either side of the frontline fearing for their future or harboring resentment as the country's new leaders push forward with transition after years of civil war.

The fighting ended with government forces capturing most of the territory previously held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the country's northeast, and a fragile ceasefire is holding. SDF fighters will be absorbed into Syria's army and police, ending months of disputes.

Recent clashes between Syria's military and Kurdish forces are a "setback" and a "plot" to derail the PKK peace process with Turkey, a spokesman for the Kurdish militant group told AFP on Tuesday.

"The developments in Syria and the larger Middle East have a direct effect on the peace process in Turkey," said Zagros Hiwa, spokesman for the political wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party.

Israel brought home the remains of the last hostage in Gaza on Monday, closing a painful chapter for the country and clearing the way for the next and more challenging phase of its ceasefire with Hamas.

The next step is likely to be the reopening of Gaza's border with Egypt, enabling Palestinians to travel in both directions and eventually allowing more aid to enter the territory devastated by two years of war. The ceasefire's second phase also calls for deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas, pulling back Israeli soldiers and rebuilding Gaza.

The United Arab Emirates will not allow attacks on Iran to be launched from its territory, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Last week, President Donald Trump said a U.S. "armada" was heading toward the Gulf and that Washington was watching Iran closely after a bloody crackdown on protesters.

Saudi Arabia said it hoped to have "strong, positive" ties with the UAE, the kingdom's foreign minister said on Monday, but stressed that future relations were contingent on Abu Dhabi's complete withdrawal from Yemen.

"The kingdom is always keen on having a strong, positive relationship with the UAE," Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said during a press conference in Warsaw.

The Israeli military said on Monday that the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza, Ran Gvili, had been identified and repatriated to Israel for burial.

"Following the identification process conducted by the National Forensic Centre, in cooperation with the Israeli police and the military rabbinate, representatives of the (Israeli military) informed the family of hostage Ran Gvili... that their loved one had been formally identified and repatriated for burial," an army statement said.

Kurdish forces in Syria accused Damascus of killing five people in an attack near the northern town of Kobane on Monday, despite a ceasefire between the two sides.

The incident came as the Syrian government and Kurdish forces traded blame over breaching their ceasefire agreement, which was extended by 15 days on Saturday.

Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels threatened new attacks on ships traveling through the Red Sea corridor, likely trying to back Iran as it worried Monday about an approaching U.S. aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump threatened military action over its crackdown on nationwide protests.

A short video by the Houthis included previously published images of a ship on fire, with the caption: "Soon." The rebels did not elaborate, but their campaign in the Red Sea saw over 100 ships attacked as part of a campaign the Houthis said pressured Israel over its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis halted their fire after a ceasefire in the conflict, though they've repeatedly warned they could resume fire if needed.