Expected Israeli Withdrawal from Gaza as The Ceasefire Agreement Takes Effect

Hamas announced on Thursday that Israeli forces will begin withdrawing from major cities in the Gaza Strip on Friday, as part of the first phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.

In a statement, the movement said the agreement includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Rafah, in exchange for the release of all living Israeli captives and the handover of the bodies of those killed. The deal also guarantees the entry of approximately 400 humanitarian aid trucks into the Strip daily.

Osama Hamdan, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, stated that the prisoner exchange process requires security arrangements, beginning with the withdrawal of forces from certain areas to facilitate the operation.

The Israeli Cabinet is expected to convene later today to approve the agreement, which is seen as a first step toward a long-term truce and the reconstruction of Gaza.