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By Barney Henderson
Content Director
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A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect at noon local time Friday (5 a.m. ET) in a major step towards ending the devastating two-year war.
The Israeli military said its troops were withdrawing to pre-agreed positions inside the Gaza Strip.
Tens of thousands of people who had gathered in Wadi Gaza in central Gaza in the morning started walking home after the ceasefire announcement. Pictures and footage showed large numbers of people walking north along the coastal road.
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Witkoff: 72-hour Deadline Begins for Hostage Release
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of Gaza and said that a 72-hour deadline had begun for the release of Israeli hostages.
"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 wrote on X.
Israeli Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesman, said that troops had completed their withdrawal to the deployment lines by Friday afternoon, a few hours after the ceasefire officially went into effect.
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Netanyahu: Israeli Forces Will Remain in Gaza Until Hamas Disarms
Speaking after the ceasefire came into effect, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel Defense Forces troops would remain in Gaza and pressure Hamas to disarm.
"Israeli forces will remain in Gaza and control key areas to press for the disarmament of Hamas," Netanyahu said.
By keeping troops in parts of Gaza, Israel is “gripping Hamas from all sides in preparation for the next stages of the plan”, he added.
Israeli forces will continue to control roughly half Gaza under the new deployment arrangements, Israeli officials said on Thursday night.
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Israel Backs Trump's Peace Plan in Late Night Vote
The move followed the Israeli Cabinet’s late night approval of a U.S.-brokered plan by Trump aimed at ending bloodshed in Gaza and securing the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.
The Israeli Cabinet’s decision marked a pivotal moment in efforts to end the devastating two-year conflict that has reshaped the Middle East and fueled deep political divisions both in Israel and abroad.
In a brief statement, Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the Cabinet had approved the "outline" of the deal focused on the hostage release, without referencing more contentious elements of the broader plan.
Heavy Shelling Reported Earlier on Friday
Despite the truce, residents in Gaza reported heavy shelling across parts of the enclave throughout Friday morning, underscoring the fragility of the agreement.
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In central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp, Mahmoud Sharkawy, who has been displaced from Gaza City, said there was intense artillery shelling in the early hours of the morning.
“The shelling has significantly increased today,” he said.
In northern Gaza, two Gaza City residents told The Associated Press that bombing had been ongoing since the early hours, mostly artillery shelling.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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