Israeli forces began pulling back from parts of Gaza at noon local time (0900 GMT) Friday as a ceasefire went into effect and units repositioned along updated lines in preparation for a hostage return, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Troops under Southern Command remain deployed to address any immediate threats, the military said.
Early Friday morning, the Israel’s government approved a framework “for the release of all of the hostages the living and the deceased,” according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The moves follow a Wednesday announcement that Israel and Hamas had agreed to start the first phase of a U.S.-backed peace plan calling for the release of all hostages “very soon” and a pullback of Israeli troops to an agreed line. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey played central roles in brokering the initial phase, which was slated to begin Thursday at noon local time.
Implementation of the first-phase terms—including the sequencing of hostage and prisoner releases and verification of force repositioning—will be the immediate test for the truce, as international mediators monitor compliance.
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