Israel’s military has completed the first phase of their withdrawal from Gaza, commencing the 72-hour period for the hostages’ release, a top White House envoy said Friday, citing the Pentagon.

The US military’s Central Command “has confirmed that the Israeli Defense Forces completed the first phase withdrawal to the yellow line at 12PM local time,” President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said on X.

“The 72 hour period to release the hostages has begun.”

Separately on Friday, an Israeli military spokesperson said Hamas is no longer the militant group whose invasion of Israel triggered the two-year war in Gaza.



“Hamas is not the Hamas of two years ago. Hamas has been defeated every place we fought them,” Brigadier General Effie Defrin, the military spokesperson, told reporters at a briefing.

He urged Palestinian residents of Gaza to avoid entering areas under control by the military in the enclave.

“I am calling from here on the residents of Gaza to avoid entering areas under IDF control. Keep to the agreement and ensure your safety,” he said.

Thousands of displaced Palestinians began flocking towards their abandoned homes after a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on Friday and Israeli troops began pulling back from parts of Gaza.