Israel begins Gaza pullback as thousands head home
GAZA CITY
Tens of thousands of Palestinians start walking toward northern Gaza on Oct. 10 after, the Israeli military announced that the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also said that troops completed to withdraw to agreed-upon deployment lines as part of the first phase of the plan.
Within 72 hours, meaning by Oct. 13 at noon, Hamas is set to release the 48 hostages it is holding, beginning with the 20 believed to be alive. The group reportedly told mediators it does not know where some of the bodies of slain hostages are located, which may delay the release of the bodies.
The announcement came hours after Israel’s cabinet approved U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of the remaining hostages and of Palestinian prisoners.
Tens of thousands of people who had gathered in Wadi Gaza in central Gaza in the morning started walking north after the military’s announcement.
“We're going back to our areas, full of wounds and sorrow, but we thank God for this situation," 32-year-old Ameer Abu Lyadeh told AFP in Khan Younis.
According to the Israeli media, Israel intends to allow Palestinians stranded outside the Gaza Strip to return via the destroyed Rafah land crossing on the border with Egypt for the first time since Oct. 7, 2023.
In a televised address, Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu denied that the current deal was available earlier.
The premier warned that the war is not over and significant challenges remain.
“Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarized.”
“If this is achieved the easy way, great. And if not, it will be achieved the hard way,” Netanyahu said.
US to send 200 troops to monitor Gaza deal
Meanwhile, the U.S. media reported on Oct. 10 that the United States is sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private-sector players.
The sources said U.S. Central Command is going to establish a “civil-military coordination center” in Israel that will help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into the territory wracked by two years of war.
The remarks provide some of the first details on how the ceasefire deal would be monitored and that the U.S. military would have a role in that effort.
One of the officials said the new team will help monitor implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the transition to a civilian government in Gaza.
No American troops will be sent into Gaza, the official noted.
Members of the armed forces of Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates are expected to be embedded with the team of 200 U.S. troops, according to one of the officials. The American service members will integrate the multinational force and coordinate with Israeli defense forces, the official said.
