Thousands of Palestinians trekked north along Gaza’s coast on Saturday—on foot, in cars and on carts—returning to shattered neighborhoods as a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas largely held.
Israeli forces redeployed under the deal’s first phase, pulling back from major urban areas while maintaining control over roughly half of the enclave. “It is an indescribable feeling,” said Nabila Basal, walking with her daughter, who suffered a head wound during the war. “We are very, very happy that the war has stopped.”
U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Gaza early Saturday to observe the Israeli redeployment, Israeli Army Radio reported. He was joined by CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper, who said his visit related to setting up a task force to support stabilization in Gaza; he stressed U.S. troops would not deploy inside the enclave.
Clock starts on hostage releases
With the redeployment completed on Friday, a 72-hour window began for Hamas to free its captives. “We are very excited, waiting for our son and for all the 48 hostages,” said Hagai Angrest, whose son Matan is among the 20 Israelis believed to be alive. Twenty-six hostages have been declared dead in absentia; the fate of two is unknown.
Under the agreement, Israel would release 250 Palestinians serving long sentences and 1,700 detainees held since the war. Hundreds of aid trucks per day are expected to enter Gaza with food and medical supplies.
Unanswered questions on next steps
The ceasefire and exchange represent the biggest step yet toward ending two years of war, which Gaza authorities say has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians. The conflict began after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 assault on Israeli communities, military bases and a music festival, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages seized.
Unresolved issues in Trump’s 20-point plan include governance of Gaza after the fighting and the future of Hamas, which rejects Israeli disarmament demands. Trump said he was confident the truce would hold because “they’re all tired of the fighting,” while acknowledging details remain to be worked out. He is expected to visit Israel on Monday to address the Knesset—the first U.S. president to do so since 2008—and then travel to Egypt, with other leaders also anticipated in the region.