 "Displaced Palestinians walk along the coastal road near Wadi Gaza in the central Gaza Strip, moving toward northern Gaza, on Friday, after Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. AP")
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect at noon on Friday, as the Israeli military began repositioning its forces within the Gaza Strip, following the approval of a major agreement between the two sides.
According to a New York Times report, citing a statement released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said troops under the Southern Command were adjusting their positions inside Gaza but would “continue to remove any immediate threat” during the pause in fighting.
The announcement came hours after the Israeli government signed off on a wide-reaching deal with Hamas.
According to the agreement, Hamas has 72 hours to return all hostages, including the bodies of those who have died, in exchange for a phased Israeli military pullback and the release of thousands of Palestinian detainees.
Under the deal, the Israeli military is expected to complete a redeployment to new positions within Gaza by early Saturday.
In return, Israel has agreed to release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,722 Gazans detained during the war, excluding those directly involved in the October 7, 2023 attacks. Among those to be freed are 22 minors under the age of 18.
The IDF published footage of the pullback, without providing further details.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that the Israeli military had met its obligations under the agreement.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“CENTCOM has confirmed that the Israeli Defense Forces completed the first phase withdrawal to the yellow line at 12PM local time. The 72 hour period to release the hostages has begun,” Witkoff posted on X.
Meanwhile, following Israeli troop pullout, thousands of Palestinians have started moving north toward Gaza City from the southern part of the Strip, reported CNN.
Footage circulating online showed large crowds traveling on foot along the coastal Al-Rashid Road, heading back toward the devastated city, added the report.
The movement comes after weeks of displacement and restricted access to northern Gaza.
Before the pullback, Israeli forces had fired at specific points along key routes to prevent civilians from returning prematurely, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) finalised its repositioning under the terms of a deal brokered by the US and other international mediators.
Last month, the IDF ordered a full evacuation of Gaza City — then home to an estimated one million people — before launching an expanded ground offensive in the area.
With the ceasefire taking effect at noon Friday, an IDF spokesperson announced on X that movement from south to north was now allowed via both Al-Rashid Street and Salah al-Din Road.
With inputs from agencies