Palestinians have started returning to northern Gaza after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that a ceasefire is now in effect, marking the beginning of the first phase of a Trump-brokered peace and hostage exchange agreement.
The IDF announced on Friday that its troops had withdrawn to positions defined under the Trump peace framework, while maintaining operations to “remove any immediate threat.”
This follows Israel’s formal approval of the initial phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal, under which Hamas has 72 hours to release all Israeli hostages, while Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian detainees.
The truce also allows for the resumption of humanitarian aid, with hundreds of trucks carrying food, water, and medical supplies expected to enter Gaza — a vital lifeline for more than two million residents, most of whom have been displaced by months of fighting.
In Gaza City, returning residents are confronting widespread devastation. “People are returning to scenes of total destruction. There is little left standing,” said BBC correspondent Rushdi Abualouf from northern Gaza.
Although the ceasefire offers a flicker of hope after months of relentless conflict, analysts warn that it remains fragile, hinging on both sides’ commitment to the terms of the deal — a critical test for the Trump administration’s renewed Middle East peace initiative.
