Palestinians, who were displaced to the southern part of Gaza at Israel's order during the war, make their way following their arrival in Gaza City after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Credit: Reuters
The Israeli military confirmed on Friday that a ceasefire in Gaza came into effect at 12:00 local time (0900 GMT). Troops began positioning themselves along updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire and the return of hostages.
Under the agreement, Israel will release 11 Hamas prisoners instead of the initially planned 11 Fatah-affiliated inmates, a last-minute change reported by Israeli army radio. In addition, Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving long sentences and 1,700 others detained since the war began on October 7, 2023.
Hamas is expected to release 20 living Israeli hostages within 72 hours of the ceasefire’s start.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces will continue to operate in Gaza to pressure Hamas until the group disarms. He also assured that all hostages would be returned in the coming days.
The ceasefire marks a crucial step toward stabilising the region after days of intense fighting, with both sides preparing to implement the terms carefully while maintaining security and monitoring compliance.