Picnews
Thousands of Gazans have begun heading north in the territory after the Israeli military announced a ceasefire agreement, effective at 12:00 local time. News cameras captured queues of men, women, and children walking along the coastal road after the start of the truce. Israeli forces declared a ceasefire and withdrew from some positions in Gaza on Friday, as thousands of displaced Palestinians began to trek home.
The Israeli army said its troops had ceased fire at noon “in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.” Before the ceasefire was announced, some fighting continued, with large plumes of smoke and dust rising above northern Gaza. The Gaza civil defence official Mohammed al-Maghayyir said a municipal worker was killed by Israeli fire, and residents of several areas told AFP the Israeli military appeared to have withdrawn from positions they held on Thursday.
Long columns of Palestinians, exhausted by two years of intense bombardment and what the UN warned were famine conditions, began a trek back from Khan Yunis in the south towards their shattered homes further north. “We’re going back to our areas, full of wounds and sorrow, but we thank God for this situation,” said Ameer Abu Lyadeh, 32. Many Gazans are cautiously optimistic about the ceasefire, hoping it will bring an end to the violence and allow them to return to their homes.
The ceasefire agreement includes the release of all hostages, Israeli military withdrawal to an agreed point, and the release of some Palestinian prisoners. Hamas said a “formal declaration” ending the war must be made before hostages are released. Israel’s Hostages and Missing Families Forum has called on those involved in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations to ensure the remains of all deceased hostages are returned to Israel.
The US is sending 200 troops to the Middle East to monitor the plan’s implementation alongside soldiers from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE. Khalil Al-Hayya, the exiled Gaza chief of Hamas, said he received guarantees from the US and other mediators that the war was over, and all women and children held in Israeli jails will be freed as part of the peace plan. Hamas and other Palestinian groups will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.
