The Gaza Civil Defense indicated this Friday, October 10, that nearly 200,000 people had returned to the north of the Palestinian territory since the ceasefire came into force at 11 a.m. (French time).
“About 200,000 people returned to the north today,” said Mahmoud Bassal, spokesman for the Civil Defense, a first aid organization that operates under the authority of the Islamist movement Hamas.
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip went into effect on Friday, prompting thousands of displaced people to return across the Palestinian territory devastated by two years of war.
53% of the Gaza Strip remains controlled by Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped his country could celebrate “a day of national joy” on Monday night with “the return of all the hostages” held in Gaza.
Following the announcement by the Israeli army of the entry into force of the ceasefire at 11 a.m. (French time). Thousands of displaced people took the road to the north of the territory while others returned to the ruins of their homes in Khan Younes, in the south.
A line of pedestrians stretched along the al-Rashid road near Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip towards Gaza City. According to the Palestinian Civil Defense, Israeli forces withdrew from several areas of Gaza City and parts of Khan Younis.
During this first stage of the withdrawal, the army will continue to control approximately 53% of the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli government.
Donald Trump visits the Middle East on Sunday
The US military “confirmed that Israeli forces had completed their withdrawal towards the ‘yellow line'” planned by the Trump plan and “the 72-hour deadline for the release of the hostages has begun,” according to US envoy Steve Witkoff.
On Thursday, Donald Trump said he planned to visit the Middle East on Sunday. “The hostages will return on Monday or Tuesday. I will probably be there. We plan to leave on Sunday.”
Of the 48 hostages – 47 kidnapped during the October 7 attack and a soldier killed in 2014 whose remains are being held by Hamas – 20 are alive and 28 dead, Benjamin Netanyahu said.
In exchange for the hostages, Israel must release 250 security detainees, including many convicted prisoners, as well as 1,700 Gaza Palestinians arrested since October 2023.
Source: BFM TV
