Israel ceases fire as Gazans start returning home

Israel declared a ceasefire and started pulling back troops in Gaza on Friday, as thousands of displaced Palestinians began to make their way back to their wrecked homes.

After two years of brutal war, the families of Israel’s remaining hostages in the territory were also hoping the truce — pushed by US President Donald Trump — would hold.

The Israeli military said its troops had ceased fire at noon (0900 GMT) “in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages”.

Three hours later, the US Pentagon confirmed Israel had completed the first phase of a pullback laid out in Trump’s peace plan. Israeli forces still hold around 53 percent of the Palestinian territory.

The withdrawal set the clock running on a 72-hour deadline for Hamas to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza.

Israel, meanwhile, published the list of the 250 Palestinian prisoners it plans to release — along with 1,700 Gazans detained since Hamas triggered the latest conflict with its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

As the ceasefire began, long columns of Palestinians, exhausted by two years of intense bombardment and what the UN has warned were famine conditions, began a trek from the southern city of Khan Yunis towards their shattered homes further north.

The EU mission at the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt will be reopening a pedestrian crossing on October 14, Italy said.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas will hand over 47 hostages — living and dead — still held from the 251 abducted during the attack two years ago. The remains of one more hostage, held in Gaza since 2014, are also expected to be returned.

– ‘Wounds and sorrow’ –

Gaza’s civil defence agency confirmed that Israeli troops and armoured vehicles were pulling back from forward positions in both Gaza City and Khan Yunis.