KEY POINTS
- Israeli forces have completed the first phase of their Gaza withdrawal.
- US envoy confirms the pullback via CENTCOM, marking the first step of Trump’s peace deal.
- Thousands of displaced Palestinians are returning to their ruined homes.
- Hamas is set to release 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
- Israel will allow 600 aid trucks daily under UN and international supervision.
WASHINGTON: Israel’s Defence Forces have completed the first phase of their withdrawal from Gaza, commencing the 72-hour period for the hostages’ release under a US-brokered ceasefire deal, a senior White House envoy said on Friday, citing the Pentagon.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on X that the US Central Command had confirmed the Israeli Defence Forces’ (IDF) withdrawal to the “yellow line” inside Gaza at noon local time. “The 72-hour period to release the hostages has begun,” Witkoff stated.
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.
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) October 10, 2025
The development marks the first step in implementing a ceasefire framework approved by Israel’s cabinet earlier today, which includes the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The plan was announced by President Trump on 8 October as part of what Washington has called a “comprehensive pathway” to end hostilities.
Israeli forces pull back, ceasefire takes affect
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that troops had begun pulling back from several areas in Gaza but insisted that Israeli forces would remain in parts of the Palestinian enclave to maintain pressure on Hamas until the group disarms, Reuters reported.
Gaza’s civil defence agency also reported Israeli withdrawals from parts of Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Younis.
“Israeli forces have withdrawn from several areas in Gaza City,” Mohammed al-Mughayyir, a senior official with the agency, said, as cited by AFP. He added that armoured vehicles had been pulled out from several southern sectors as well.
The Israeli Defence Forces said in a statement that “IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.”
The Ceasefire Agreement Came Into Effect at 12:00
Since 12:00, IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.
IDF troops in the Southern Command are deployed in the area and will…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 10, 2025
Displaced Palestinians returning to homes
As the guns fell silent, thousands of displaced Palestinians began walking back to their homes, many of them in ruins, after two years of devastating conflict. AFP reported that long lines of civilians were witnessed moving along Gaza’s coastal roads towards northern areas.
“We’re going back to our areas full of wounds and sorrow, but we thank God for this situation,” said Ameer Abu Lyadeh, a 32-year-old resident of Khan Younis. “Even if we return to ruins, at least it’s our land.”
Hostage and prisoner exchanges
Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is expected to release 20 Israeli hostages—both living and deceased—within 72 hours.
In return, Israel will free 250 Palestinian prisoners serving long terms and an additional 1,700 detainees arrested since the conflict began on 7 October 2023.
Israel’s Justice Ministry has published a list of prisoners to be released, though it excludes several Palestinian prisoners demanded by Hamas.
Israeli army radio reported a last-minute adjustment, with 11 Hamas prisoners being swapped instead of 11 Fatah-affiliated detainees.
Aid and crossings reopen
According to Al Jazeera, Israeli authorities have agreed to allow Palestinians who fled Gaza during the war to return via the Rafah crossing under a new arrangement coordinated with Egypt and monitored by the European Union.
The agreement also provides for the entry of 600 aid trucks daily, carrying food, medical supplies, fuel, and shelter materials.
The vehicles will move from southern to northern Gaza through designated routes under UN and international supervision.
Next steps and political implications
President Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday that he expects the hostages’ release by Monday or Tuesday and plans to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt.
“We are getting the hostages back on Monday or Tuesday, and that will be a day of joy,” he said. “This will lead to lasting peace.”
Trump added that the next phase of his peace plan includes “pullbacks” by Israeli forces and “the disarming” of Hamas, though senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al Araby television that the group rejects any proposal for a transitional authority led by Trump or his allies.
Despite the ceasefire, analysts, cited by Al Jazeera, warn that major issues remain unresolved — including the long-term governance of Gaza, and Hamas’s future.
