Thousands of Palestinians return north as Israel-Hamas ceasefire starts in Gaza

Tens of thousands of Palestinians began heading backmost to nan northbound of nan Gaza Strip connected Friday as a US-brokered ceasefire came into effect successful a woody that raised hopes for ending nan Israel-Hamas war.

Questions stay complete who will govern Gaza arsenic Israeli troops pulled backmost and whether Hamas will disarm, arsenic called for successful US President Donald Trump's 20-point ceasefire plan.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who unilaterally ended a erstwhile ceasefire successful March, hinted that Israel mightiness renew its violative if Hamas does not surrender its weapons.

The latest truce nevertheless marks a cardinal measurement toward ending a ruinous two-year war that was triggered by nan 2023 Hamas-led onslaught connected Israel.

The fighting has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced astir 90% of nan Gaza organization of immoderate 2 million, often aggregate times.

The subject confirmed nan commencement of nan ceasefire connected Friday greeting and nan remaining 48 hostages still being held by Hamas are to beryllium released by Monday. Israel believes 20 of them are still alive.

Palestinians said dense shelling successful parts of Gaza earlier connected Friday had mostly stopped aft nan military's announcement.

Netanyahu said successful a televised connection that nan adjacent stages would spot Hamas disarm and Gaza demilitarised.

"If this is achieved nan easy measurement — truthful beryllium it. If not — it will beryllium achieved nan difficult way," Netanyahu said.

He added that Hamas agreed to nan woody "only erstwhile it felt that nan beard was connected its cervix — and it is still connected its neck."

The Israeli subject has said it will proceed to run defensively from nan astir 50% of Gaza it still controls aft pulling backmost to agreed-upon lines.

Meanwhile, nan United Nations was fixed nan greenish ray by Israel to statesman delivering scaled-up assistance into Gaza starting connected Sunday, a UN charismatic said. The charismatic said connected nan information of anonymity to talk specifications not yet made public.

The assistance will see 170,000 metric tonnes that person already been positioned successful neighbouring countries specified arsenic Jordan and Egypt arsenic humanitarian officials awaited support from Israeli forces to restart their work.

In nan past respective months, nan UN and its humanitarian partners person only been capable to present 20% of nan assistance needed successful nan Gaza Strip, according to UN humanitarian main Tom Fletcher.

People connected nan move

A dependable watercourse of people, nan immense mostly connected foot, crammed onto a coastal roadworthy successful nan cardinal Gaza Strip, heading northbound to spot what mightiness stay of their homes.

The demolition they find this clip will beryllium moreover greater, aft Israel waged a caller violative successful Gaza City, successful nan north, successful caller weeks. The subject bombed high-rises and blew up homes successful what it said was an effort to destruct Hamas' remaining subject infrastructure.

Palestinians person expressed alleviation that nan warfare whitethorn end, tempered pinch interest astir nan early and lingering symptom from nan staggering decease and destruction.

"There wasn't overmuch joy, but nan ceasefire somewhat eased nan symptom of decease and bloodshed and nan symptom of our loved ones and brothers who suffered successful this war," said Jamal Mesbah, who was displaced from nan northbound and plans to return.

In Gaza's confederate metropolis of Khan Younis, hundreds of Palestinians returning to their homes recovered wrecked buildings, rubble and demolition aft Israeli troops withdrew.

"There was thing left. Just a fewer clothes, pieces of wood and pots," said Fatma Radwan, who was displaced from Khan Younis. People were still trying to retrieve bodies from nether nan rubble, she added.

Many buildings were flattened, and nary was undamaged, arsenic group went backmost to hunt for their belongings. "We came to a spot that is unidentifiable. An unidentifiable town. Destruction is everywhere," said Hani Omran, who was besides displaced from Khan Younis.

How nan statement is expected to unfold

Israel is group to merchandise astir 2,000 Palestinian prisoners successful speech for nan remaining hostages.

A database Israel published connected Friday did not include high-profile captive Marwan Barghouti, nan astir celebrated Palestinian leader and a perchance unifying figure.

Israel views him and different high-profile prisoners arsenic terrorists and has refused to merchandise them successful past exchanges.

Khalil al-Hayya, a elder Hamas charismatic and lead negotiator, said connected Thursday evening that each women and children held successful Israeli jails will beryllium freed.

The hostage and captive releases are expected to statesman connected Monday, 2 Egyptian officials briefed connected nan talks and a Hamas charismatic said, though different charismatic said they could hap arsenic early arsenic Sunday night.

A comparative of 1 of nan Israeli hostages believed to person died successful captivity says nan family is hoping that his assemblage will beryllium returned for burial.

"It's a measured consciousness of dream successful each hostage families," said Stephen Brisley, whose sister, Lianne Sharabi, and her 2 teenage daughters were killed successful nan 7 October 2023 attack.

"We clasp our dream lightly because we've had our hopes dashed before. It still feels for illustration a agelong measurement betwixt nan announcement of nan woody and really getting Yossi's assemblage backmost to hide him."

As portion of nan deal, 5 separator crossings are expected to reopen, including nan Rafah crossing betwixt Gaza and Egypt, Egyptian and Hamas officials said. That will let assistance to travel into nan territory, parts of which are experiencing famine.

The Trump scheme calls for Israel to support an open-ended subject beingness wrong Gaza, on its separator pinch Israel. An world force, comprised mostly of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would beryllium responsible for information wrong Gaza.

To thief support and monitor the ceasefire deal, US officials said they would send astir 200 troops to Israel arsenic portion of a broader, world team.

The US would besides lead a monolithic internationally funded reconstruction effort.

The scheme envisions an eventual domiciled for nan Palestinian Authority, thing Netanyahu has agelong opposed. But it requires nan authority, which administers parts of nan West Bank, to acquisition a sweeping betterment programme that could return years.

The Trump scheme is moreover much vague astir a early Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects.