Gaza ceasefire in effect, Israeli troops withdrawing, IDF says
“IDF troops from Southern Command are deployed in the region and will continue to work to eliminate any immediate threat,” the statement said.
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The announcement came after Palestinians reported heavy bombardment in Gaza early Friday, after Netanyahu and his cabinet ministers approved the peace plan brokered by Trump and his envoys.
US officials said that the US would deploy 200 soldiers as part of the joint task force to ensure stability, but no Americans would enter Gaza.
The officials, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the 200-person team will be the core of a task force that will include representatives from the Egyptian army, Qatar, Türkiye and possibly the United Arab Emirates.
In a sign that the fighting continued until the deadline, the IDF said a Hamas sniper killed 26-year-old reservist Michael Mordechai Nachmani in an attack in Gaza City on Thursday afternoon, after ceasefire conditions were agreed to but before they took effect.
Also Thursday, the IDF launched an attack on an area in northern Gaza that Hamas said posed a direct threat to Israeli troops.
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Ceasefire terms require Israel to withdraw its forces from most of Gaza, but unofficial statements suggest Israel will retain control over 50 percent of the area.
Hamas has 72 hours after this withdrawal to bring back the hostages, alive and dead. This deadline will come into force at noon or 8pm AEST on Monday.
If this happens, Hamas expects Israel to release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving their sentences in Israel, as well as 1,700 Gazan people detained during the war.
More to come
via Reuters and Associated Press
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