Palestinians begin returning to their homes as Gaza ceasefire takes effect

2025-10-10 18:33:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Thousands of displaced Palestinians began returning to their homes on October 10, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas – the Palestinian group designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union – came into effect and Israeli troops began withdrawing from parts of Gaza.

A large number of Palestinians headed north to Gaza City - the enclave's largest urban area - which has been under constant attack in one of the largest offensives Israel has carried out in the Gaza Strip during the war that began in October 2023.

Israeli forces said the ceasefire agreement came into effect at 11:00 a.m. local time in Kosovo. The Israeli government approved the ceasefire with Hamas on Friday, paving the way for a partial troop withdrawal and cessation of hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours.

Hamas is expected to release 20 live hostages within 72 hours, and after that, Israel will release 250 Palestinians who have been serving long sentences in Israeli prisons and 1,700 others detained during the war in Gaza.

US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said that the Israeli military has completed the first phase of its withdrawal from Gaza and the deadline for the release of the hostages has begun.

Once the agreement begins to be implemented, trucks with food and medical aid will enter Gaza to help civilians.

The first phase of US President Donald Trump's initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza envisages Israeli forces withdrawing from some of Gaza's main urban areas, although they will continue to control approximately half of the enclave's territory.

During a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israeli forces would remain in Gaza to ensure that the territory is demilitarized and Hamas is disarmed in the later stages of Trump's plan.

"If this is achieved easily, then it will be good. Otherwise, it will be achieved by force," he said.

Israeli military spokeswoman Effie Defrin called on Gaza residents to avoid entering areas under Israeli military control.

In Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, some Israeli troops withdrew from the eastern area near the border. Meanwhile, in the Nuseirat camp, some soldiers removed their equipment and headed east, towards the Israeli border, although other troops remain in the area.

Israeli forces have also withdrawn from the road along the coastline in Gaza City. US President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, under his plan to end the two-year war in the Palestinian enclave.

The Gaza war began when Hamas-led militants crossed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251 others.

Israel's war of revenge has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not separate the number of civilians from that of combatants. The offensive has displaced most of Gaza's 2 million residents, caused massive destruction and widespread hunger./ Rel