Jerusalem: In a historic turn after two years of relentless conflict, Israeli forces began withdrawing from parts of the Gaza Strip on Friday under a ceasefire agreement reached with Hamas. The deal, mediated with strong U.S. involvement, offers a fragile but long-awaited pause to one of the deadliest and most politically divisive wars in recent Middle Eastern history.
Across Gaza, residents cautiously emerged from shelters to witness the aftermath of months of bombardment. In Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan district, where Israeli tanks had maintained positions for weeks, shattered buildings and flattened streets testified to the war’s fury.
“Thank God my house is still standing,” said Ismail Zayda, 40, surveying the wreckage around him. “But my neighbours’ homes are gone. The whole area is unrecognizable. They say there’s a ceasefire, but nobody knows for sure. We just want to stop being afraid.”
While Israeli troops began pulling back from areas in the north, central, and southern regions, confusion reigned over when full hostilities would cease. Sporadic gunfire and tank shelling were still reported in Khan Younis and Nusseirat early Friday, even as soldiers dismantled positions and moved east toward the Israeli border.
The Israeli cabinet approved the ceasefire deal in the early hours of Friday, paving the way for the suspension of combat operations within 24 hours and the release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed via his official X account that the government had “approved the framework for the release of all hostages – the living and the deceased.”
The first phase of the U.S.-brokered plan, part of President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace initiative, centers on an exchange: Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel. The arrangement also mandates a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the reopening of supply routes for humanitarian aid.
Rescue and medical teams in Gaza City, who had been unable to operate during the height of the assault, resumed missions on Friday. Emergency crews recovered at least ten bodies from debris left by previous strikes. Humanitarian agencies are preparing for a massive surge of aid into Gaza once the truce stabilizes, with hundreds of trucks carrying food, medicine, and shelter materials expected to enter through Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians remain displaced, many of them living in makeshift tents after their homes were destroyed. Aid officials warn that Gaza faces a monumental reconstruction effort to restore basic infrastructure, water systems, and hospitals.
The ceasefire has drawn cautious optimism across the international community. Washington hailed the agreement as the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the conflict began in October 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s retaliatory assault began an unprecedented toll that has left the enclave in ruins. The war’s fallout has extended beyond Gaza, straining Israel’s ties with allies, destabilizing regional politics, and drawing in Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon through proxy conflicts.
President Trump, who personally pushed both sides to accept the deal, announced plans to visit the region on Sunday, possibly attending a signing ceremony in Egypt. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana has invited Trump to address the Israeli parliament in recognition of his mediation efforts.
Despite the breakthrough, significant hurdles remain. Hamas has demanded the release of prominent Palestinian prisoners and those detained during the recent Israeli operations. The full list of detainees eligible for exchange has not yet been published, fueling skepticism among both sides.
Further stages of Trump’s plan particularly the governance of postwar Gaza and the future status of Hamas remain unresolved. Israel continues to insist that Hamas must disarm, while the militant group, led by exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya, claims to have received U.S. and regional guarantees that “the war is over.”
Netanyahu also faces internal opposition from within his right-wing coalition, where several members have long rejected negotiations with Hamas. Yet the mounting toll of casualties, hostages, and international pressure has forced his government into accepting the ceasefire framework.
If fully implemented, the accord could mark the most significant step toward ending the war that has devastated Gaza and shaken Israel’s security establishment. The United States plans to deploy a 200-member multinational stabilization task force, including contingents from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE, to oversee implementation though no American troops will operate inside Gaza itself.
For now, both Israelis and Palestinians are clinging to a fragile hope that this ceasefire will endure where others have failed. Amid the ruins of Gaza City, families wait for clarity unsure whether the silence outside their shelters marks a new beginning or merely a temporary pause in a war that has cost tens of thousands of lives.