Israel officially announces ceasefire agreement has come into effect
Starting at 0900GMT, 'army forces took up positions on the new operational deployment lines,’ says Israeli army
- Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians start returning from the southern Gaza Strip to Gaza City via Al-Rashid Street
ISTANBUL
Israel announced on Friday that the Gaza ceasefire agreement came into effect as of 12 noon local time today (0900 GMT).
“Starting at 12:00, army forces took up positions on the new operational deployment lines based on the ceasefire agreement and the return of the abductees,” the Israeli army said in a written statement sent to Anadolu.
“Army forces are deployed in the southern command in the area and will continue to work to remove any immediate threat,” the statement continued, without providing further details.
An Anadolu correspondent close to the scene reported that as the ceasefire began, tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians started returning from the southern Gaza Strip to Gaza City via the coastal Al-Rashid Street as the Israeli army said Palestinians are allowed to move via that road and the central Salah al-Din Road.
Israeli spokesperson Avichay Adraee outlined restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the area.
Warning that approaching Israeli forces is not permitted, Adraee wrote on US social media company X: “In the northern Gaza Strip area, approaching the areas of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, Al-Shujaiya, and areas where (Israeli) forces are stationed is extremely dangerous.”
“In the southern Gaza Strip area, it is highly dangerous to approach the Rafah Crossing area, the Philadelphia Axis area, and all areas where forces are stationed in Khan Younis,” he added.
The statement also said there is “significant danger in engaging in fishing, swimming, or diving” along the coast of the Gaza Strip, warning against entering the sea.
“It is prohibited to begin moving to these areas before an official announcement is issued regarding this matter,” the statement said.
The Israeli army began phase one of its gradual troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip on Friday and will complete its withdrawal to the locations specified in US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war on the Gaza Strip within 24 hours, according to Israeli media.
According to the Israeli Army Radio, the gradual withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, in accordance with Trump's plan, will be completed by Friday afternoon.
Israeli army begins gradual withdrawal to east of Gaza Strip
The Israeli army began its gradual troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip on Friday and will complete its withdrawal to the locations specified in US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war on the Gaza Strip within 24 hours, according to Israeli media.
“Over the next 24 hours, the Israeli army will complete its withdrawal from certain areas inside the Gaza Strip to the yellow line, as agreed in the Trump plan between Israel and Hamas,” Israeli Channel 12 said, adding: “The forces are expected to withdraw eastward from Rafah and Khan Yunis (south) and from areas north of the Gaza Strip and approach the border with the State of Israel.”
According to the Israeli Army Radio, the gradual withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, in accordance with Trump's plan, will be completed by Friday afternoon.
Following the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israeli troops were seen withdrawing from parts of Gaza ⤵️
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) October 10, 2025
Under the ceasefire deal, the Israeli army will withdraw from a designated area of Gaza within 24 hours pic.twitter.com/ftMEnjcB5T
Early Thursday morning, Trump announced that Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas had reached an agreement on the first phase of his ceasefire and prisoner exchange plan.
The agreement came after four days of indirect negotiations between the two parties in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, with the participation of delegations from Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar, under US supervision.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it uninhabitable.
Israeli withdrawal reveals massive destruction in Gaza City
Israel’s initial withdrawal from parts of Gaza City on Friday exposed the vast scale of destruction across residential neighborhoods and infrastructure, where entire districts have been reduced to rubble.
Footage shared by activists and journalists on social media revealed unprecedented devastation in areas vacated by Israeli forces, who are repositioning along the Yellow Line within the Gaza Strip under the framework of the ceasefire agreement.
Displaced Palestinians prepare to return home following the ceasefire takes effect ⤵️
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) October 10, 2025
More than 1.9 million people, nearly Gaza's entire population, have been displaced due to the Israeli bombardments pic.twitter.com/4viLU43SgS
The videos depicted harrowing scenes of flattened homes, shattered facilities, and bulldozed streets. One of the hardest-hit locations was the vicinity of the Saeed Siyam Mosque in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of northern Gaza City.
In that area, residential buildings were either completely demolished or left structurally uninhabitable due to heavy artillery shelling. The eastern section of Sheikh Radwan was similarly razed, with entire blocks wiped out and main roads torn apart.
Before beginning its phased pullback, the Israeli army reportedly conducted intense demolition and bombing operations across several neighborhoods, including Sheikh Radwan. The nearby tunnel area to the east also suffered widespread destruction, having already been targeted in previous operations.
Additional footage documented severe damage in the Al-Nasr district northwest of the city, where thousands of homes were either destroyed or left in ruins.
Gaza Civil Defense urges residents to stay away from Israeli vacated areas
Gaza's Civil Defense service urged the residents of Gaza City on Friday to stay away from areas where Israeli forces are withdrawing from.
“We urge you not to approach or return to areas where occupation forces were present, particularly the border areas of Gaza City, until after an official announcement of the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces and confirmation of this by the relevant authorities,” the General Directorate of Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip said on Telegram.
The warning comes as the Israeli army, before beginning its phased pullback, reportedly conducted intense demolition and bombing operations across several neighborhoods, including Sheikh Radwan. The nearby tunnel area to the east also suffered widespread destruction, having already been targeted in previous operations.
Red Cross says Israel-Hamas ceasefire 'must mark turning point' from 2 years of 'unimaginable horror'
The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday welcomed the new ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, calling it a potential turning point after two years filled with unthinkable horror.
"The ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas must mark a turning point in two years of unimaginable horror. It offers a vital chance to save lives and ease suffering," Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement.
She said ICRC teams in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank stand ready to support the agreement's implementation, including by assisting in the return of hostages and detainees to their families. The organization is also prepared to facilitate the return of human remains "so families can mourn their loved ones with dignity," she added.
According to Spoljaric, ICRC teams are also preparing to deliver more lifesaving aid into the Gaza Strip and ensure its safe distribution to those most in need.
"The coming days are critical," she said. "I urge the parties to hold to their commitments. Release operations must be carried out safely and with dignity.
“Humanitarian assistance must resume urgently at full capacity and be delivered to people safely wherever they are. The ceasefire must hold. Lives depend on it."
Israel will allow Gaza residents to return to Gaza via Rafah crossing, 1st since war began
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, after establishing a mechanism with the Egyptian side, Israeli media reported on Friday.
“For the first time since October 7, 2023, Gaza residents who left the Strip from Egypt will be allowed to return to the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli Army Radio said.
📍 Following the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, thousands of civilians are now returning to the northern regions via Al-Rashid Street
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) October 10, 2025
➡️ Under the ceasefire deal, the Israeli army will withdraw from a designated area of Gaza within 24 hours pic.twitter.com/UndIUeynBm
However, it also noted: “The return of Gaza residents will only begin after a mechanism has been established with the Egyptian side, and then the criteria, scope of work, and the entire process have been determined.”
The radio station claimed that this is what is stated in the humanitarian annex to the ceasefire agreement, adding that Tel Aviv “will allow Gaza residents to leave the Strip for Egypt via the Rafah crossing, using the same mechanism as in the January 2025 agreement, after Israeli approval and under the supervision and inspection of the European Union mission” as “no restrictions will be imposed on leaving Gaza for Egypt.”
January agreement
In January 2025, Israel allowed patients, the wounded, and their companions to leave the Gaza Strip in coordination with the UN and international organizations, while some of them were prevented from traveling for security reasons despite the severity of their health conditions.
According to the radio station, the agreement allows 600 aid trucks per day to enter the Gaza Strip through the UN, accredited international organizations, and the private sector.
The trucks are expected to deliver food, medical supplies, shelter materials, fuel, and cooking gas.
The agreement also stipulates that the convoys will be permitted to travel freely from southern Gaza to the north using two main routes: Salah al-Din Road in the east and al-Rashid Road in the west.
Israel publishes list of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences set for release
The Israeli Ministry of Justice on Friday published a list of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences who will be released as part of the hostage exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas.
📌 Details of the ceasefire taking effect in Gaza ⤵️
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) October 10, 2025
▶️ The ceasefire covers the complete cessation of all military activities, including airstrikes, artillery fire, and ground operations
🔄 The Israeli army will withdraw to the 'yellow line' border within 24 hours
👥 The… pic.twitter.com/eoBHXoR4I3
The prisoners and detainees will be released in accordance with the Gaza ceasefire deal, according to a statement on the ministry website.
The Ministry of Justice usually publishes lists of names to allow the public to file petitions with the Supreme Court against the release of prisoners.
However, the court usually rejects the petitions submitted to it.
Upon reviewing the list of names, Anadolu did not find the names of imprisoned leaders demanded by Hamas, namely Marwan Barghouti, Ahmed Saadat, Abdullah Barghouti, Hassan Salama, Abbas al-Sayed, and Ibrahim Hamed.
Hamas did not immediately comment on the list.
