Gaza ceasefire in effect, Israel says, as hostage release countdown begins

After over two years in captivity, Nimrod Cohen is among the many hostages set to be launched as a part of the Israel-Hamas peace deal. His father, Yehuda Cohen, mentioned Friday that the household was eagerly anticipating his return, however added that it was “too quickly to open champagne.” 

“We began to depend the 72 hours. We’re on the third hour,” Cohen told “CBS Mornings,” referring to the Monday deadline Hamas is going through to launch the entire remaining Israeli hostages below the phrases of the settlement. “The champagne time will come.” 

Cohen mentioned he has no thought what situation his son is in. He will likely be in a “very protected space” after he returns, Cohen mentioned. 

He added that the household was keen to start rehabilitating Nimrod as quickly as attainable, however they haven’t any set plans for the way his return will go. 

“It is not a play, it is not a present,” Cohen mentioned. “That is actuality, and we’re ready for that second of actuality.” 

2 hundred U.S. troops will likely be deployed to Israel to assist coordinate humanitarian and safety help, and they need to be in place by Sunday, a U.S. official instructed CBS Information on Friday. 

The U.S. personnel will likely be deployed from “inside the CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command] area,” and can principally encompass U.S. Military members who specialise in logistics, communications, transportation and safety, the U.S. official mentioned. 

It is “the kind of experience that may make sure the stream of humanitarian help and likewise monitor the safety scenario in Gaza,” the official mentioned. 

The CENTCOM area is the realm of accountability for the U.S. army that encompasses the Center East, Central Asia and components of South Asia.

The official pressured that no U.S. army personnel can be deployed contained in the Gaza Strip.

By Charlie D’Agata and Emmet Lyons 

A spokesman for the Israel Protection Forces mentioned Friday that the ceasefire in Gaza “is an emotional second for the individuals of Israel,” and for Israeli troopers.

“We’ll do all the pieces attainable to guard the safety of the residents of the western Negev, the south and your complete nation,” Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin mentioned at a information convention, in keeping with The Times of Israel.

He mentioned when Hamas launched its assault on Oct. 7, 2023, sparking the Gaza warfare, “a very powerful contract with the residents of Israel was violated. We weren’t there for Israeli residents at their most troublesome time.”

“Since then … we’ve got not stopped for a second, and we by no means will,” he mentioned.

Defrin mentioned that “Hamas at this time isn’t the Hamas of two years in the past,” including that the U.S.- and Israeli designated terrorist group, “has been defeated in every single place we fought it.”

The our bodies of 81 individuals have been recovered from varied areas throughout the Gaza Strip Friday morning, together with 73 in Gaza Metropolis, CBS Information’ group in Gaza reported Friday, citing hospital sources within the Palestinian territory.

Hamas police officers additionally returned to the streets of Gaza Metropolis following the Israeli army’s repositioning on Friday, our group in Gaza reported. 

Israeli troops launched a ground offensive within the metropolis, Gaza’s largest, in September, they usually had continued working there till Friday morning.

Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Well being mentioned in a Fb publish on Friday that 17 individuals have been killed on account of Israeli army motion over the previous 24 hours.

A complete of 67,211 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that warfare started, in keeping with the ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatant and civilian casualties.

CBS Information’ Debora Patta mentioned Israel continued its army operations proper up till the ceasefire took impact on Friday morning.

The Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board, the volunteer-based group representing the households of Israeli hostages kidnapped in the course of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist assault, mentioned in a press release Friday that “no chief or group has accomplished extra for peace around the globe than President Donald J. Trump.” 

“Whereas the Norwegian Nobel Committee selected a unique recipient this yr, the reality stays simple,” the group mentioned.  “President Trump’s unprecedented achievements in peacemaking this previous yr converse for themselves, and no award or lack thereof can diminish the profound influence he has had on our households and on international peace.” 

An Israeli police spokesperson mentioned Friday that preparations have been underway forward of an anticipated go to by President Trump to Israel on Monday. 

“The Israel Police is finishing preparations for the go to of the President of the US, Mr. Donald Trump, to Israel, this coming Monday,” Superintendent David Filo, Head of the Police Operations Division, mentioned in a press release Friday

“1000’s of cops, Border Guard troopers and volunteers will function beginning within the early hours of Monday morning to offer safety, preserve public order and direct visitors in the course of the state go to, which is anticipated to final a number of hours,” Filo mentioned.

The Israeli Ministry of Justice launched on Friday a listing of 250 Palestinian prisoners anticipated to be launched as a part of the primary part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage launch deal.

Below the phrases of the deal, Palestinian prisoners are solely anticipated to go free after a 72-hour interval, by the tip of which all remaining Israeli hostages, dwelling and useless, are to be launched. That 72-hour interval ends on Monday afternoon in Israel. 

An Israeli official instructed CBS Information on Friday that Hamas would launch all of the remaining hostages by midday native time on Monday, which might be 5 a.m. Japanese. 

The Rafah crossing from southern Gaza into Egypt will reopen on Tuesday in coordination with European Union authorities and the White Home, the Italian Protection Ministry mentioned in a press release Friday. 

“The Rafah crossing, on October 14, 2025, in compliance with the Trump settlement, in coordination between the European Union and the events, will likely be opened alternately in two instructions: exit in the direction of Egypt and entry in the direction of Gaza,” Italian Protection Minister Guido Crosetto mentioned within the assertion. 

Crosetto additionally mentioned that operations for the discharge of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners would start Sunday. 

The EU Border Help Mission at Rafah — a civilian mission that gives a impartial third social gathering presence on the Gaza-Egypt border —  will likely be current to observe the border’s reopening, the protection minister mentioned.

CBS Information’ group in Gaza reported Friday that displaced Gazans had begun returning to northern components of the war-torn enclave, because the Israeli army partially withdrew its forces in keeping with the ceasefire settlement. 

Displaced Palestinians have been seen touring up Al Rasheed street, the principle artery alongside Gaza’s Mediterranean coast. 

Eyewitnesses reported seeing full-scale destruction in Gaza Metropolis, the place Israeli forces had been conducting floor operations proper up till Friday morning when the ceasefire took impact. 

Witnesses instructed CBS Information that intensive injury was seen in neighborhoods throughout Gaza Metropolis, and in Al-Shati Refugee Camp on town’s western facet.

Worldwide Pink Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric mentioned Friday that the return of hostages and Palestinian prisoners should be carried out “safely and with dignity” 

“ICRC groups in Israel, Gaza and the West Financial institution will help its implementation by serving to to return hostages and detainees to their households. We’re additionally prepared to assist return human stays so households can mourn their family members with dignity,” Spoljaric mentioned. “The ceasefire should maintain. Lives rely upon it.” 

An Arab diplomat and a supply acquainted with the negotiations instructed The Occasions of Israel newspaper that Hamas had agreed throughout talks in Egypt to not maintain public ceremonies in the course of the handover of hostages to Israel, because it had accomplished throughout earlier releases.

Gal Hirsch, the Hostage and Lacking Individuals Coordinator for the Israeli Prime Minister’s Workplace, instructed CBS Information on Thursday that a global group can be established to find lacking hostages “within the coming days.” 

Hamas had mentioned in a press release final week that it had agreed to the discharge of all Israeli hostages — dwelling and useless — supplied “that applicable discipline circumstances are ensured for the alternate course of.”

Israeli officers have mentioned it’s believed that solely 20 of the 48 remaining hostages in Gaza are nonetheless alive. 

President Trump’s senior envoy Steve Witkoff said Friday in a social media publish that the U.S. army’s Central Command had “confirmed that the Israeli Protection Forces accomplished the primary part withdrawal to the yellow line at 12PM native time,” including that the “72 hour interval” for Hamas to launch all remaining Israeli hostages “has begun.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Friday that Israel is “tightening the noose round Hamas from all sides,” and vowed that Gaza can be demilitarized following the Israeli authorities’s approval of a peace plan to finish the warfare. 

“Hamas will disarm and Gaza will likely be demilitarized. If this may be achieved the simple means, all the higher; if not, it will likely be achieved the laborious means,” Netanyahu mentioned, addressing reporters. 

The Israeli chief defended his file in prosecuting the warfare in Gaza, which has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, in keeping with Hamas-run Gaza well being authorities. 

“Anybody who claims that this hostage deal was at all times on the desk is solely not telling the reality. Hamas by no means agreed to launch all of the hostages whereas we remained deep contained in the Strip. It agreed solely when the sword was on its neck, and that sword remains to be there,” Netanyahu mentioned. 

An Israeli safety supply instructed CBS Information on Friday that 600 vans carrying humanitarian assist have been set to enter Gaza within the coming days because the ceasefire takes maintain.

The vans will likely be from United Nations companies, in addition to different accredited worldwide organizations, the non-public sector and donor international locations, the safety supply mentioned. 

The help will primarily encompass “meals, medical gear, shelter gear, in addition to gasoline to function important methods and cooking fuel.”

“Residents will likely be allowed to go away by way of the Rafah Crossing in coordination with Egypt, after safety approval by Israel and below the supervision” of a European Union delegation,” the supply instructed CBS Information. 

A spokesperson for the U.N. workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs instructed CBS Information Friday that an expanded stream of assist had not but been allowed into the war-torn Palestinian enclave. UNRWA, the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees, additionally mentioned there had been no enhance within the stream of assist into Gaza early on Friday.

Giant plumes of smoke billowed into the skies above Gaza on Friday morning, and CBS Information’ Debora Patta mentioned Israeli bombs continued to fall on the Palestinian territory proper up till the ultimate hours earlier than the army mentioned the ceasefire had taken impact.

Israeli officers had mentioned on Thursday that the ceasefire would take impact instantly upon the federal government’s approval of the deal, which got here late Thursday night, however the explosions continued for hours after that.

An Israeli army spokesperson mentioned in an Arabic language assertion directed at residents of Gaza on Friday that the “Israel Protection Forces (IDF) will stay stationed in designated areas inside the Gaza Strip.”

“Don’t method IDF forces in these areas till additional discover. Approaching these forces places you at severe threat,” the spokesperson mentioned. 

An Israeli official instructed CBS Information that Hamas would launch all excellent hostages by midday native time on Monday, which might be 5 a.m. Japanese. 

President Trump mentioned Thursday that the entire remaining Israeli hostages, together with the our bodies of deceased hostages held in Gaza, would possible be launched “Monday or Tuesday” as a part of the peace deal. 

Israeli officers imagine there are nonetheless 48 individuals held captive in Gaza, 20 of whom are regarded as alive.

The Israeli army mentioned Friday {that a} ceasefire in Gaza got here into impact at midday native time (5 a.m. Japanese)  and that Israeli troops had begun withdrawing from components of Gaza as a part of the primary part of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan to finish the two-year warfare and convey house the remaining Israeli hostages.

“Since 12:00, IDF troops started positioning themselves alongside the up to date deployment strains in preparation for the ceasefire settlement and the return of hostages,” the Israel Protection Forces mentioned in a press release Friday.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace instructed CBS Information’ companion community BBC Information that Israeli troops would withdraw to a line leaving them in charge of 53% of Gaza within the first part of the plan. 

President Trump had mentioned Wednesday on his Fact Social platform that Israel “will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line” as step one in the direction of his 20 level peace proposal to finish the warfare in Gaza.