Israel Begins Partial Withdrawal From Gaza After U.S.-Brokered Ceasefire and Hostage Prisoner Exchange

Israel began a partial pullback inside Gaza after a ceasefire took effect at noon.

“Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza demilitarized, either peacefully or by force”

The Guardian

The army redeployed to a designated “yellow line” and still holds roughly half the territory.

The Guardian

A 72-hour window opened for a hostage release.

Multiple outlets detail the first phase of the agreement.

Negotiators say Hamas must free all remaining Israeli captives within 72 hours, about 48 total, roughly 20 alive.

In exchange, Israel will free around 1,950–2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving long sentences.

Israel will also start significantly increasing aid access.

Reports say the U.S. pushed this deal, linking it to a broader plan associated with former President Donald Trump.

Israel confirms the military repositioning and the timing of the hostage release window.

The exchange mechanics are contested and uneven across sources.

Israel published lists and excluded high-profile figures, while Hamas disputes counting rules.

The New Indian Express

Some releases may involve deportations rather than returns.

BBC and The Times report that Israel removed Marwan Barghouti and other leaders from the swap.

AP News says Israel plans to free about 2,000 prisoners but excludes key figures.

AL-Monitor adds that Israel will deport some prisoners or restrict them to Gaza.

CNN notes a mix of deportations and returns to the West Bank or East Jerusalem.

Families of hostages brace for the return of bodies alongside living captives under Red Cross facilitation.

Even as people moved north to shattered neighborhoods, several outlets report Israeli forces and aircraft still killed Palestinians after the ceasefire announcement.

“The text is not a news article but rather a prompt inviting readers to join a WhatsApp channel, along with a note indicating that by registering, users agree to the terms and conditions”

El Informador

Al Jazeera says Israel’s helicopter and air strikes killed at least seven people in Gaza City after Israel ratified the deal.

CBS News notes over 67,000 Palestinians killed overall, and BBC documents nearly 199,000 buildings affected while UN agencies struggle as Israel bans UNRWA.

The deal opens Rafah and other crossings and allows roughly 600 aid trucks daily, with the U.S. sending about 200 troops to Israel to help monitor and coordinate aid.

However, Gaza’s civil defense and aid groups warn unexploded ordnance and Israeli positions still make movement deadly.

The scale of killings is central to how sources describe Gaza.

AP News reports Israel’s offensive killed over 67,000 Palestinians, with nearly 170,000 wounded—many women and children—alongside accusations of genocide that Israel denies.

Daily Express

OPB adds that a UN commission accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, which Israel disputes.

El Informador quotes Cuba’s foreign minister calling it a “brutal genocide.”

Al Jazeera reports Israeli strikes killing at least seven in Gaza City even after ceasefire ratification.

These accounts document Israeli forces killing Palestinians at staggering levels; some outlets adopt the legal term genocide, while mainstream sources often present it as an accusation that Israel rejects.

Power politics over the ceasefire’s authorship and next steps are sharply contested.

“Following a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, thousands of displaced Palestinians began returning to the Gaza Strip to assess the devastation of their homes and communities”

The Indian Express

Fox News and Hungarian Conservative credit Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff for brokering the deal and pushing deadlines.

The Indian Express

The Independent quotes a Hamas official praising Trump but questions the evidence supporting the credit.

NPR warns the proposed governance plan would impose external control and effectively continue occupation.

Hürriyet Daily News says the U.S. will deploy about 200 troops to Israel to help oversee the ceasefire as Netanyahu vows to demilitarize Gaza by force if needed.

Ouest‑France underscores Qatar’s mediating role and shared responsibility for the ceasefire’s first phase, contrasting with U.S.‑centric narratives.