The Israeli military has said its troops have withdrawn to the agreed lines within the enclave
The Gaza ceasefire has taken effect, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday. According to a statement issued on social media, Israeli troops have completed their withdrawal to positions agreed under US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire deal as of 12pm local time (9:00 GMT).
“IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages,” the military stated. It added that Israeli troops in the Southern Command are still deployed in the area and “will continue to remove any immediate threat.”
The Israeli government earlier approved “phase one” of the ceasefire agreement, which gives the IDF 24 hours to pull back its forces. Hamas is then due to release all living hostages within 72 hours. In return, Israel will free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained since 2023, including all women and minors.
Forty-eight Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with only about 20 believed to be alive.
The 20-point ceasefire plan, unveiled by Trump in late September, calls for a phased but full Israeli withdrawal from the enclave, the disarmament of Hamas, and the establishment of a transitional international administration. It envisions Gaza as a “deradicalized, terror-free zone,” with Hamas excluded from governance.
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