Nusrait. Israel announced the end of its offensive in Gaza after claiming to have completed the first phase of its withdrawal from the enclave, while thousands of displaced Palestinians began returning to their homes amid a landscape of destruction.

The agreement with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas should also allow for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza within 72 hours.

With the ceasefire announced by the Israeli army coming into effect, thousands of displaced Palestinians began a painful march from the southern Gaza Strip to the north to return to their homes.

Others returned to their homes in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, and found their homes completely destroyed, according to images released by AFP.

The Israeli army announced that its troops have begun positioning themselves along the"lines of withdrawal, in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of the hostages." But it warned that some areas remain "extremely dangerous."

The Pentagon "confirmed that the Israeli military completed the first phase of its withdrawal toward the Yellow Line at 12:00 local time," said President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, on the social network X.

"The 72-hour period for the release of hostages has begun," he added.

The agreement is based on a 20-point plan announced in late September by US President Donald Trump, who said he plans to travel to the Middle East this Sunday.

The Republican president stated that"the hostages will return on Monday or Tuesday."

The pact seeks to end two years of war in Gaza, a conflict that erupted with the Hamas attack on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, which left 1,219 dead, mostly civilians.

The agreement stipulates the return to Israel of all hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that of the 48 hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip, 20 are alive and 28 have died.

Israel must release 250 security detainees and 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza arrested by Israeli forces since October 2023.

The list Israel published this Friday of the 250 prisoners who could be exchanged does not include any of the emblematic figures of the Palestinian armed struggle.

Despite the celebrations in Israel and Gaza, many issues remain unresolved, including the disarmament of Hamas and the proposed transitional authority for Gaza led by Trump, both of which are part of the plan proposed by the US president.