The Israeli army announced the entry into force of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip at 09:00 GMT on Friday, which must be followed within 72 hours by the release of the hostages, in accordance with an agreement reached with the Islamist movement Hamas.

"The ceasefire agreement came into effect at noon local time (0900 GMT)," the army said.

"Since midday, IDF troops have begun to position themselves along the redeployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of the hostages," according to the text, which specifies that "the troops of the Southern Command will continue to eliminate any immediate threat."

The ceasefire and the release of the hostages are provided for in an agreement approved Thursday after four days of indirect negotiations in Egypt between Hamas and Israel, which has been at war in Gaza for two years.

The agreement is based on a plan announced in late September by US President Donald Trump to end the war, triggered by Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Donald Trump said Thursday that he plans to travel to the Middle East on Sunday. "The hostages will return Monday or Tuesday. I'll probably be there. I hope to be there. We plan to leave on Sunday."

He also said he would "try" to travel to Egypt for "an official signing" of the agreement and that he had agreed to "speak" before the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on an unspecified date.

According to Mohammad al-Moughayyir, a Civil Defense official, "Israeli forces have withdrawn from several areas of Gaza City (...)" in the north of the devastated and besieged territory.

In the southern Gaza Strip, "Israeli vehicles withdrew from the southern and central parts of the city of Khan Younis to the eastern areas," he told AFP.

Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian then claimed that the army would retain control of 53% of the territory.

- "Insurance" -

After its approval by the Israeli security cabinet, Benjamin Netanyahu's government approved the agreement reached in Egypt before dawn on Friday.

No later than 72 hours after its entry into force, "all our hostages, living and deceased, will be released, which brings us to Monday," Bedrosian said.

Mr. Trump noted that the bodies of some captives would be "a little difficult to find."

According to a Hamas official, the live hostages will be released in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, "simultaneously with specific Israeli withdrawals (from Gaza) and the entry of (more) humanitarian aid." He did not mention the dead captives.

Of the 251 people abducted during the October 7 attack and taken to Gaza, 47 are still being held there, at least 25 of whom are dead, according to the army.

Hamas' chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, said Thursday that he had "received assurances from the mediating brothers and the American administration, confirming that the war is completely over."

- Second phase -

The agreement reached in Egypt is part of Mr. Trump's 20-point plan that includes a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of a transitional authority of technocrats headed by a committee headed by Donald Trump.

Negotiations for the second phase, concerning Hamas disarmament and a continuation of the Israeli withdrawal, were to begin "immediately" after the signing of the first phase agreement on Thursday, according to a Hamas official.

The Islamist movement has not yet responded to the news of its disarmament.

The American president assured on Thursday that there would be "disarmament" and "withdrawals", without however providing a deadline.

Two hundred military personnel under the leadership of the head of the US Middle East Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, will be deployed to "oversee" the implementation of the Gaza agreement, a senior US official said. They will likely include military personnel from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the Emirates, he said.

Another senior official clarified that there would be no US troops deployed "in Gaza."

The Turkish army said it was "ready to assume any mission assigned to it" in Gaza.

The October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a report compiled by AFP based on official data.

In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza which, according to the Hamas Health Ministry, has left more than 67,194 dead, mostly civilians, and caused a humanitarian disaster.