Gaza: The Israeli army has announced that the Gaza ceasefire agreement has officially come into effect.

According to the army, 11 Hamas prisoners will be released in the initial phase, while Israeli forces have begun to withdraw from the agreed line inside Gaza.

According to Arab media, Gaza citizens have started returning to their homes after the ceasefire, while the Israeli army has begun a partial withdrawal from several areas.

Israeli cabinet approval and US role

Earlier, the Israeli cabinet approved the Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement. The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and US special representative Steve Witkoff.

A statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said that in exchange for the release of all Israeli hostages, approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released, and the Israeli army will gradually withdraw from 53 percent of Gaza.

According to the agreement, Hamas will release all hostages within 72 hours, while the parties will ensure the implementation of a complete ceasefire for the rest of the period.

Background to the peace deal

Negotiations for peace in Gaza had been ongoing for several months, after which US President Donald Trump presented a 20-point peace plan, which was supported by eight Muslim countries including Pakistan and accepted by Israel.

Later, negotiations took place in Egypt between Hamas and Israeli officials through mediators, which resulted in a peace agreement being reached two days ago.

According to a US official, an international force of 200 personnel will be formed to monitor the implementation of the agreement, which will include soldiers from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and possibly the United Arab Emirates.