That’s a wrap – thank you for reading the Need to Know blog today. These were some of the main stories:

• PM avoids backing Dutton’s tougher antisemitism penalty pledge: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not backed Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s pledges to toughen sentencing to curb the rampant rise in antisemitism.

• Israel releases 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of ceasefire deal: Israel started to release 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees on Monday, more than seven hours after three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza returned to Israel.

• Trump tells inauguration eve rally ‘American decline’ to end: President-elect Donald Trump celebrated the eve of his second inauguration with a rally Sunday at the Capital One Arena in downtown Washington.

• Trump wants US to own half of TikTok: Donald Trump says he will approve a deal for TikTok to continue operating in the country if ByteDance allows the United States to own 50 per cent of the app.

• Wong, Rudd to represent Australia at Trump inauguration: Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says Australia will be well-represented at Donald Trump’s inauguration as Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Australia’s US ambassador Kevin Rudd will be in attendance.

• Gaza ceasefire ‘fragile and delicate process’: Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says the Gaza ceasefire deal is a “fragile and delicate process” but the return of Gaza hostages has been “very positive and very constructive” 15 months after the October 7, 2023 attack.

• Cheers and weeping as Israelis watch Gaza hostages return: Thousands of Israelis gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, some cheering and some in tears, as a giant television screen broadcast the first glimpse of the first three hostages to be released under the Gaza ceasefire deal.