The Israeli armed forces (IDF) announced that the ceasefire in Gaza has been in force since 12.00 local time (10.00 in Lisbon). “Since noon, Israeli army troops began to position themselves along the (…) redeployment lines, in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages”, reads a statement, according to which “Southern Command troops (…) will continue to eliminate any immediate threat.”
Hours after the Israeli government ratified the agreement with Hamas, which allowed the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israeli troops were withdrawing from some areas of the Palestinian enclave this morning.
According to the BBC, the Israeli military has already withdrawn from the northwestern outskirts of Gaza City and retreated to the east. And AFP reported that Israeli military vehicles were also leaving part of Khan Yunis.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that troops will withdraw to a point where they will have 53% control of the Gaza Strip, according to the 20-point plan presented last week by the US president. Donald Trump himself announced on social media that Israeli troops will withdraw “to an agreed line”. Last week, the White House released a map with a yellow line marking the initial withdrawal positions of Israeli forces. At the time, it was said that this would be the first of three stages of withdrawal.
Once the ceasefire comes into force, Hamas has a 72-hour period to release the hostages. (at least the 20 who will still be alive, out of 48 still in the enclave), in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and another 1,700 detained since the attacks of October 7, 2023. On that day, a Hamas attack left 1,200 dead in Israel and 251 people were taken hostage and taken to Gaza. Israeli retaliation began that same day. In these two years, this is the third period of truce.
Although the deadlines are not yet completely clear, everything points to the fact that the hostages that are still alive will begin to be released on Monday (October 13), it is expected that Trump himself will be in the region to receive them.