Israeli forces start Gaza withdrawal as Palestinians return to ruins amidst uncertainty

Israeli forces began pulling back from parts of the Gaza Strip on Friday following the ratification of a ceasefire deal with Hamas, prompting some Palestinians to cautiously return to their devastated neighborhoods.

The initial withdrawal marks a tentative step in a broader agreement aimed at ending two years of relentless conflict.

In Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan district, 40-year-old resident Ismail Zayda stood amid the ruins of his community, uncertain about what the ceasefire truly meant on the ground.

“Thank God my house is still standing,” Zayda said. “But the place is destroyed, my neighbours' houses are destroyed, entire districts have gone. Is it over? They said it is. Why does no one come out and tell us whether there is a ceasefire and we can stop being afraid?”

The Israeli government approved the ceasefire agreement with Hamas in the early hours of Friday. Under the deal’s first phase, hostilities in Gaza are to be suspended within 24 hours, followed by the release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours. In exchange, Palestinian prisoners are expected to be freed, and Israeli troops will begin a gradual withdrawal from Gaza.

“The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages – the living and the deceased,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced via his official English-language X account.

The ceasefire forms part of a wider initiative led by U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending the prolonged violence between Israel and Hamas.

On Friday, signs of de-escalation were visible but uneven. In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, Israeli forces began pulling back from eastern districts near the border. However, residents reported hearing tank shelling in the area, indicating that not all military activity had ceased.

In the central Nusseirat refugee camp, some Israeli soldiers were seen dismantling positions and moving east towards the Israeli border. Yet, the situation remained unstable as gunfire echoed through the area in the early morning hours, and some troops continued to hold ground.