Jerusalem: Israel’s government on Friday formally approved a landmark agreement aimed at ending the two-year-long conflict in Gaza, marking the first phase of a ceasefire deal with Hamas. The deal also includes a structured plan for the release of hostages held in the territory. Following the approval, the Israeli military confirmed that the ceasefire took effect at noon local time (09:00 GMT), signaling the start of a carefully timed sequence of actions.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Israeli military is set to withdraw to pre-agreed lines within 24 hours. This redeployment is designed to reduce friction with Gaza’s civilian population while maintaining control over roughly half of the enclave’s territory. Israeli forces will pull back from key urban areas, aiming to stabilize t

See Full Page