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.
The Israeli military said its troops had ceased fire at noon (0900 GMT),
“in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages”.
People make their way through the so-called “Netzarim corridor” near Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on October 10, 2025, on the way back to Gaza City.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said on October 10 that Israeli forces have begun pulling back from parts of the territory, particularly in Gaza City and Khan Yunis.
Israeli prime minister’s office said that the government had “approved the framework” of a hostage release deal with Hamas, as both sides edged closer to ending more than two years of hostilities in Gaza.
Israeli army soldiers gather near infantry-fighting vehicles (IFVs) at a position along the Israel-Gaza border fence on October 10, 2025.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said October 10 that Israeli forces have begun pulling back from parts of the territory, particularly in Gaza City and Khan Yunis
Israeli prime minister’s office said that the government had “approved the framework” of a hostage release deal with Hamas, as both sides edged closer to ending more than two years of hostilities in Gaza.
A boy walks with a bouquet of synthetic flowers next to two other men carrying a sack together along a destroyed road in the centre of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 10, 2025, as displaced people return to their homes after Israeli forces’ withdrawal.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said on October 10 that Israeli forces have begun pulling back from parts of the territory, particularly in Gaza City and Khan Yunis.
Israeli forces declared a ceasefire and withdrew from some positions as thousands of displaced Palestinians began to trek home and the families of October 7 hostages awaited news.
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.
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.
But Israel warned some areas were still off-limits and that Palestinians should steer clear of its forces while they were
“in the midst of adjusting operational positions in the Gaza Strip”.
“We’re going back to our areas, full of wounds and sorrow, but we thank God for this situation,” 32-year-old Ameer Abu Iyadeh told AFP in Khan Yunis.
A flock of birds flies above people making their way through the so-called “Netzarim corridor” near Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on October 10, 2025, on the way back to Gaza City.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said on October 10 that Israeli forces have begun pulling back from parts of the territory, particularly in Gaza City and Khan Yunis.
Israeli prime minister’s office said that the government had “approved the framework” of a hostage release deal with Hamas, as both sides edged closer to ending more than two years of hostilities in Gaza.
Men gesture as they sit atop a vehicle towing another cart with passengers aboard moving along a dirt road to Gaza City near Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on October 10, 2025.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said on October 10 that Israeli forces have begun pulling back from parts of the territory, particularly in Gaza City and Khan Yunis.
Israeli prime minister’s office said that the government had “approved the framework” of a hostage release deal with Hamas, as both sides edged closer to ending more than two years of hostilities in Gaza.
Two men pull a roll of canvas together past other people making their way to Gaza City through the so-called “Netzarim corridor” from Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on October 10, 2025.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said on October 10 that Israeli forces have begun pulling back from parts of the territory, particularly in Gaza City and Khan Yunis.
Israeli prime minister’s office said that the government had “approved the framework” of a hostage release deal with Hamas, as both sides edged closer to ending more than two years of hostilities in Gaza.
Before dawn on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the government had approved a framework of the hostage.
Citizens of Israel, Simhat Torah, stated that ,two years ago, it started at a day o Jewish festival, she called it a day of National Mourning.
Two years ago, the Simhat Torah holiday became a day of national mourning,” Netanyahu said, referring to a Jewish festival that begins at nightfall on Monday.
This Simhat Torah, added that,
with God’s help, will be a day of national joy, celebrating the return of all our brothers and sisters held hostage,” he said.
The family of Alon Ohel, who is among the 20 living hostages due to be released, said they were “overwhelmed with emotion” and eagerly awaiting his return.
“With tears of joy, we received the news that an agreement has been reached,” the family said in a statement.
Israel had previously said all parties had signed the first phase of a ceasefire agreement at talks this week in Egypt, adding that Hamas freeing the remaining Israeli captives would “bring the end to this war”.
Despite celebrations in Israel and Gaza and a flood of congratulatory messages from world leaders, many issues remain unresolved, including Hamas’s disarmament and a proposed transitional authority for Gaza led by Trump.
Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Qatar-based broadcaster Al Araby the Palestinian Islamist movement rejects the transitional authority.
Trump said the issue of Hamas surrendering its weapons would be addressed in the second phase of the peace plan.
Mohammed al-Mughayyir, an official from Gaza’s civil defence agency, said the areas Israeli troops were withdrawing from were Tal al-Hawa and Al-Shati camps in Gaza City.
Both of which had seen intense Israeli air and ground operations in recent weeks, and parts of Khan Yunis.
Residents of several areas of the Gaza Strip also told AFP the Israeli military appeared to have withdrawn from positions it held on Thursday.
Areej Abu Saadaeh, 53, who was displaced early in the conflict, was heading home between smashed piles of rubble and twisted steel, under a flat blue sky and clouds of cement dust.
“I’m happy about the truce and peace, even though I’m a mother of a son and a daughter who were killed and I grieve for them deeply.
Yet, the truce also brings joy: returning to our homes,” she said.
