Thousands of Palestinians began returning to their homes or to what remains of them this Friday. They did so after the Israeli army retreated to the so-called"yellow line" - which still allows it to dominate the Strip - and the ceasefire formally began. A 72-hour period was set for Hamas to release some 20 live hostages and return the bodies of another 28 who died in captivity. In return, the Islamist militia obtained the release of 1,950 Palestinian prisoners. 250 of them had been sentenced to life imprisonment, and the other 1,700 were detained during this war in Gaza.
Progress in this first phase of the peace process sponsored by Donald Trump coexists with uncertainties about subsequent phases. On Friday morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on his goal of demilitarizing Gaza and disarming Hamas, even citing the possibility of doing so"the hard way." According to the American media outlet Axios, the American president intends to hold a summit with the leaders of other countries next week during his visit to the area.
8:13 PM
Gaza Civil Defense says it has recovered 55 bodies from under the rubble following the Israeli withdrawal.
More than 50 bodies were recovered from the rubble in the Gaza Strip on Friday after Israel declared a ceasefire with Hamas and began withdrawing its troops, the Palestinian territory's Civil Defense said. Mohamed al-Mughayir, of the rescue team that operates under the authority of the Islamist Hamas movement, said at least 55 bodies had been found. He did not provide details on when or how those people died.
Al-Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Salmiya told AFP that 33 of the bodies were taken to hospitals in Gaza City, the scene of an intense Israeli offensive before Friday's ceasefire. He said one of the dead was"targeted by Israeli fire today [Friday]" north of Gaza City, the largest city in the enclave.
20:06
An AFP photographer was injured in an attack by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
An Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer was injured Friday in an attack by Israeli settlers in the northern West Bank while covering the olive harvest in a Palestinian village."In my 30-year career, this is the first time I have faced such an act of violence," said Jaafar Ashtiyeh, a Palestinian photographer based in Nablus, in the northern West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967.
"If I hadn't managed to escape, they would have killed me," he added. According to his testimony, Ashtiyeh was covering the olive harvest in Beita, a Palestinian village south of Nablus, and more specifically a solidarity action by Israeli and foreign peace activists who had come to support the inhabitants against repeated attacks by nearby Israeli settlers on the olive groves during the harvest season.
Shortly after noon, two groups of Israeli settlers armed with sticks and stones—about 70 people in total—attacked the olive pickers and journalists present, the photographer said. Hit by several stones in the back, arm, and hand, he was released from the hospital in the afternoon and is suffering from bruises. His car, like a few others parked a good distance from the field, was stoned before being set on fire by the attackers.
19:40
Merz and Al Sisi discuss Gaza
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke by telephone on Friday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, praising him for his role in finding a solution to the Gaza conflict. Merz emphasized that Germany will continue to work with Egypt"for the release of the hostages, a stable ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and the reconstruction of Gaza," according to a German government statement.
19:26
Donald Trump, an unimaginable president for an unthinkable time
"Donald Trump and the Trumpist worldview of International Relations have scored their first major goal of this term with this week's (provisional, partial, full of conditions) agreement between Hamas and Israel. For the president of the United States, it is an essential anchor in his narrative."
This is how this analysis by Pablo R. Suanzes , EL MUNDO correspondent in Washington, begins.
19:05
Trump plans a Gaza summit during his visit to Egypt next week, Axios reports.
US President Donald Trump plans to convene world leaders for a summit on Gaza during his visit to Egypt next week, Axios reported Friday, citing four sources with knowledge of the matter.
Expected participants include representatives from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Indonesia, according to Axios, which cited those sources.
18:45
94 Freedom Flotilla activists deported by Israel arrive in Istanbul
A total of 94 activists from the Freedom Flotilla, which was intercepted last Wednesday in international waters while heading to Gaza, arrived in Istanbul this Friday on a flight from Jordan. Among them are 18 Turkish citizens, as well as 76 other activists of 21 different nationalities, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Öncü Keçeli reported in a message on X. Another 46 passengers of the Freedom Flotilla-Thousand Madleens, which set sail from Italy in late September, are still being held in Israeli prisons, the Turkish news agency Anadolu reported.
18:31
Witkoff visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem with Kushner and Ivanka Trump.
US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, visited the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem on Friday with the Republican leader's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his daughter, Ivanka Trump."We are very happy that the hostages will be out of Gaza by Monday at the latest," Witkoff said in statements reported by Israeli media from the holiest site for Judaism, adding that"there will be peace and many lives will be saved."
The US president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, also posted a photo on her X account praying at the section of the Wall reserved for women. Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Israel on Thursday, a day after Israel and Hamas approved the agreement in Egypt, which Benjamin Netanyahu's government ratified early this morning. Upon arrival, they met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who expressed"his deep gratitude" to both of them for their "fundamental and historic role in the return of the hostages home."
18:20
Netanyahu visits the medical center that will house the hostages after their release.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday oversaw preparations at the medical center that will house and treat the Israeli hostages who will be released by Hamas within 72 hours after the ceasefire in Gaza goes into effect, a deadline that expires next Monday. In a statement, Netanyahu's office reported on the visit, during which the prime minister praised the medical teams preparing for the arrival of the hostages and their families.
Hamas is expected to release the 48 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom an estimated 20 are still alive. Israel, for its part, will have to release 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 others arrested in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when it began its offensive against the enclave.
18:07
The Spanish Government applauds the ceasefire in Gaza
The Government welcomed the entry into force of the ceasefire in Gaza this Friday and will continue working to ensure that this agreement is the first step toward"a just and lasting peace" based on the two-state solution. In a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Executive welcomed this agreement, which will allow for an end to violence with the withdrawal of the Israeli army to the established withdrawal line, the release of hostages, and the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid.
The government thus maintains its support for the full implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement and calls on the parties involved to"responsibly fulfill their obligations." The ceasefire and the start of the first phase of US President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza came into effect this Friday, following the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gazan cities, as agreed, marking the beginning of the 72 hours in which the release of the 48 Israeli hostages still in the strip should take place.
17:46
Starmer, Merz, and Macron welcome the ceasefire in Gaza and call on all parties to comply with it.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, along with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, issued a joint statement on Friday welcoming the ceasefire declared in Gaza and calling on the parties to comply with the plan."We welcome the agreement on a ceasefire in the Middle East, the planned release of hostages and the resumption of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza," wrote the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany, known together as the 'E3', in a statement released by the British government.
In this regard, Starmer, Macron, and Merz pay tribute to the leadership of US President Donald Trump and the mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for sponsoring the initiative; they recall that it is essential that"all parties comply fully and without delay with their obligations" and express their willingness to support talks on the plan and contribute to it."We are committed to supporting substantial humanitarian aid packages through UN agencies, which will be delivered as soon as the ceasefire comes into effect," they added. These countries also expressed their agreement that the United Nations Security Council must give its full backing to the plan and support its implementation.
17:23
A UN rapporteur considers Israel's deadly attack on journalists in Lebanon in 2023 a"war crime."
An Israeli attack that killed a Reuters journalist and injured two other AFP journalists on October 13, 2023, in southern Lebanon is a"war crime," a UN rapporteur said Friday. The attack occurred at the beginning of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended in November 2024 and caused"thousands of deaths, including more than 1,100 women and children" in Lebanon, according to the special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Morris Tidball-Binz.
At a press conference in Beirut, he called the shooting of the journalists"a premeditated, targeted, two-phased attack by Israeli forces, a clear violation... of international humanitarian law, a war crime." On October 13, 2023, an attack killed Reuters cameraman Issam Abdallah and injured six other reporters, including two from Agence France-Presse (AFP), Dylan Collins, and photographer Christina Assi, whose right leg was amputated. Independent investigations, including one by AFP, concluded that a 120mm tank shell of Israeli origin was used. Israel denied targeting journalists.
17:14
The painful return of Palestinians to what remains of their homes
With the ceasefire in place, 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.
Ameer Abu Iyadeh, a 32-year-old displaced person, told AFP in Khan Younis that this return is"full of wounds and pain," but says she thanks God. Arikh Abu Saadaeh, 53, displaced since the start of the conflict, returns home along a road littered with rubble and dust. "I am happy about the truce and the peace, but I am the mother of a son and a daughter who were killed and I am mourning for them," she said."However, the truce also brings joy: the return to our home."
Mohamed al-Mughayyir, a senior official with the Civil Defense, a relief agency operating under the authority of the Hamas government, confirmed to AFP that"Israeli forces have withdrawn from several areas of Gaza City" in the north of the Strip. Al-Mughayyir added that army vehicles have also withdrawn from several parts of the city of Khan Younis.
An Israeli government spokeswoman, Shosh Bedrosian, said troops will withdraw to the"Yellow Line," a distance between 1.5 and 3.5 kilometers from the borders of the Palestinian territory, as part of the plan proposed by Trump. During this first phase of the withdrawal process, the army will control approximately 53% of the Gaza Strip.
16:43
Reporters Without Borders demands immediate access to Gaza for the press and justice for the murdered journalists.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) complains that the ceasefire in Gaza has neither achieved a complete end to hostilities nor allowed the press access it demands immediately, in addition to demanding justice for the nearly 220 journalists killed there in the last two years.
RSF denounces the fact that the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel has so far failed to achieve a complete cessation of Israeli attacks or the"media blackout" imposed on the Palestinian territory, also by Israeli forces, according to a statement released Friday. It particularly regrets that this commitment, which is part of US President Donald Trump's peace plan adopted by the two parties,"does not explicitly mention allowing access to the foreign press or the possibility of evacuating local journalists."
16:26
The Israeli army is preparing to receive the hostages in the next 72 hours.
The Israeli army is preparing to receive the hostages Hamas will release in the next 72 hours, military spokesperson Effie Defrin announced Friday."We are preparing to receive the hostages with sensitivity, responsibility, and great anticipation. We continue to accompany the families of the hostages and remain in close contact with them," Defrin said during a press conference.
According to this spokesman, after the withdrawal of Israeli troops from urban areas of Gaza towards the so-called yellow line, the 72 hours begin during which the Islamist group Hamas must release the 48 hostages who remain imprisoned in the Strip."Our brothers and sisters, the living and the dead," he said of the last Hamas captives, who will return to Israel two years after their kidnapping on October 7, 2023. Regarding the withdrawal of troops, the Israeli spokesman said that"these are moments of maximum alert" and recalled that the yellow line will allow the Army to defend and operationally control Gaza, for which he warned:"Israeli soldiers will eliminate any threat to its security."
16:13
Israel publishes list of Palestinians to be released, including 250 serving life sentences.
The Israeli Justice Ministry published this Friday a list of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences who will be released under the ceasefire in exchange for Israeli hostages. The list does not include prominent figures such as Marwan Barghouti—arrested in 2002 during the Second Intifada and seen by many Palestinians as the successor to Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian National Authority—or Ahmed Saadat, former secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
The list does include Baher Badr, a Hamas member sentenced to eleven life terms for plotting a bomb attack at a bus station outside a military base in central Israel that killed eight people in 2004. Also set to be free is Iyad al-Rub, a senior Islamic Jihad official convicted of murdering six Israelis and wounding 55 others in a suicide bombing in the central Israeli city of Hadera in 2006.
Under the agreement, Israel will release these 250 prisoners and 1,700 others arrested in Gaza from October 7, 2023.
16:02
The People's Party (PP) asserts that the Spanish government's"gig" for engaging in politics with Israel and Hamas is "over."
The PP's coordinator for regional and local policy, Elías Bendodo, believes that the government has"threw its mouth shut" in celebrating the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on the peace plan for Gaza because "it has run out of the fun of making politics out of the conflict." Bendodo, who participated in an event to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Day, said that he hasn't noticed much joy in the government over this agreement and believes it is because they have run out of"the idea of championing something they didn't know they were championing."
15:51
White House criticism of Nobel Prize Trump has not received
The White House said Friday that the Nobel Prize committee made a decision that put politics above peace by awarding the prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado instead of U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump had expressed his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize in recent days, while negotiating an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas. The agreement was signed Thursday.
"President Trump will continue to make peace deals, end wars, and save lives," White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X."The Nobel committee proved that he puts politics before peace. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him, able to move mountains with sheer force of will."
15:41
Netanyahu regrets Trump's failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize: "He deserves it."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret this Friday that US President Donald Trump was not awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, which he had nominated for and which he believes he"deserves."
"The Nobel Committee talks about peace. President Donald Trump makes it happen. The facts speak for themselves. President Trump deserves it," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office wrote on its X account. Netanyahu's message refers to the"peace" agreement pushed by Trump for Gaza, which involves a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and which came into effect on Friday.
15:34
Cairo will host a meeting of Palestinian groups to discuss the future of Gaza.
The various Palestinian factions will meet"in the coming days" in Cairo for a "comprehensive Palestinian dialogue" to discuss "crucial issues for the future of the Palestinian cause" such as the administration of the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas, which will also be present at the meeting.
This is what Palestinian sources told EFE, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the issue, and who also pointed out that it was Egypt that issued the invitations to participate in the conference, which still has no definitive date"for reasons related to some preparations for the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire" between Hamas and Israel."This meeting will be held at the request of the Hamas negotiating delegation, which asked Cairo to bring together all Palestinian factions to discuss issues related to the future of the Palestinian cause under Arab and Islamic auspices," since Hamas's response to US President Donald Trump's peace plan "emphasized that need," the source indicated.
15:25
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen on Tuesday.
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen on October 14, and the EUBAM monitoring mission will redeploy there following the ceasefire, Rome announced on Friday. The EUBAM monitoring mission, which involves Italian, Spanish, and French police forces, aims to ensure a neutral, third-party presence at this strategic border crossing. It was redeployed in January before being suspended in March.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said in a statement on Friday that he had authorized the resumption of Italian operations within the framework of EUBAM to reopen this crossing located in the south of the Palestinian territory under the same conditions as in January. This decision follows the ceasefire that came into effect, agreed between Israel and Hamas as part of a truce and hostage release agreement proposed by US President Donald Trump.
15:16
Putin praises Trump's peace work
Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted this Friday that his American counterpart, Donald Trump, one of the candidates for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, which was ultimately awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, is doing much to resolve current conflicts.
"It's not for me to decide whether the current US president deserves a Nobel Prize or not, but he (Trump) really does a lot to solve complex and decades-long crises," Putin said at a news conference in Dushanbe. The Russian president, who started a war in Ukraine that has not stopped, insisted that Trump"is definitely making efforts, he is definitely working on these issues to achieve peace and resolve complex international situations, the clearest example being the situation in the Middle East."
15:05
Mallorcan Reyes Rigo reaches an agreement with the Israeli Prosecutor's Office to be deported back to Spain.
Mallorcan activist Reyes Rigo, the only Spanish member of the Global Sumud Flotilla who remains detained in Israel, has reached an agreement with the Prosecutor's Office of the Negev region to be deported back to Spain. This was transferred from the Spanish consulate to Rigo's brother this Friday, Lucia Muñoz, a councilor for Unidas Podemos in Palma City Council, who traveled on the Flotilla with the activist detained in Israel, explained to Europa Press.
Rigo's family is now waiting to contact her lawyer and pay the fine, the amount of which is currently unknown, so that the activist can be deported back to Spain. According to Muñoz, under the agreement with the Prosecutor's Office, Rigo has admitted to minor assault in self-defense against an Israeli official, which is why she was not deported along with the rest of the Spaniards who were arrested on October 1 while traveling aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla with aid for Gaz.
The agreement with the Negev Regional Prosecutor's Office came shortly after the latter filed charges against Rigo and requested that he be held in pretrial detention, the Israel Police reported Friday. More details can be found in this article.
14:46
Thousands of Israeli police deployed to secure Trump's visit on Monday
The Israel Police confirmed in a statement on Friday that thousands of officers and volunteers will be deployed starting early Monday morning to"maintain public order and direct traffic" during US President Donald Trump's planned visit to Jerusalem, which is expected to last several hours."This is a complex nationwide operation coordinated by the Israel Police. Preparations will focus on several key areas, particularly the Ben Gurion Airport area, Jerusalem, and major routes into the capital," the Israeli Police said in a statement.
The police also indicated that"preparations began yesterday through an accelerated process ahead of the planned presidential visit" and that throughout the day "they will continue to conduct drills and exercises to ensure optimal preparation."
"During the visit, the use of any aircraft, including drones, is strictly prohibited in the airspace above Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem," police warned. According to Israeli media, Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech Monday morning in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), just before the deadline for Hamas to release all hostages in accordance with the terms of the new ceasefire agreement.
14:40
Israel killed 17 Palestinians and wounded 70 on Thursday, a day before the ceasefire.
The Israeli army killed 17 people and injured 71 others on Thursday, the Health Ministry reported today in its daily tally, the last day before the official ceasefire in the Gaza Strip takes effect. According to the ministry, which is run by Hamas, 67,211 people have died since the start of the Israeli offensive in October 2023, while nearly 167,000 were injured, tens of thousands with life-threatening injuries.
Following the withdrawal of troops to the so-called"yellow line" within the Strip—named after the color of the map provided by the White House when announcing the agreement—EFE was able to see how thousands of Gazans began moving north toward Gaza City along the Al Rashid coastal road.
Military spokesman Avichay Adraee, in Arabic, confirmed in a statement that travel from south to north of Gaza is permitted via both the Rashid and Salah al-Din highways, but warned that the areas near Rafah (south) and the north of the enclave - Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and Shujaiya - remain dangerous due to the"concentration of troops"; as well as bathing or sailing in the Mediterranean Sea.
14:31
Robles, on sending peacekeepers to Gaza:"If necessary, we would do it. We have never skimped on efforts."
Defense Minister Margarita Robles did not rule out sending Spanish soldiers on a peacekeeping mission to the Gaza Strip on Friday, claiming that Spain"has never spared any effort" to allocate personnel resources to international missions."If necessary, we would do it, because we have never spared any effort to send people, and that is how we will continue to work," Robles assured the media at the end of an event to present a book and an exhibition on the Military Emergency Unit (UME).
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, addressed this issue on Thursday, and believes that the debate over a peacekeeping or interposition force in the Gaza Strip"is very far off." "Something like that isn't even being considered," he added, hours before the ceasefire began in the region.
Regarding the peace agreement, which also provides for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the Minister of the Presidency, Justice, and Parliamentary Relations, Félix Bolaños, spoke today. He noted that the peace agreement signed by Israel and Hamas is in its"very initial" phase, and therefore it must be guaranteed that the cessation of the conflict is lasting.
14:18
The US confirms that Israel has completed the first phase of its withdrawal from Gaza.
The Israeli military has completed the first phase of its withdrawal from Gaza, marking the beginning of a 72-hour period for the Islamist movement Hamas to release hostages, the U.S. envoy said Friday.
The US military's Central Command"confirmed that the Israeli military completed the first phase of its withdrawal toward the Yellow Line at 12:00 p.m. 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."
14:13
The UN agency hopes to resume operations in the Gaza Strip after the peace agreement.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) hopes that"pragmatism will prevail" and that its aid trucks and staff will be able to enter the Gaza Strip after the ceasefire, spokesperson Juliette Touma said at a press conference on Friday. The agency has not yet been contacted by the signatories to the agreement, but she said it would be very difficult,"if not impossible," to implement a response on the scale needed in Gaza without UNRWA, which remains the largest humanitarian agency in the area, Touma said.
The communications director, who spoke to the press accredited to the UN in Geneva via video call from Amman, Jordan, admits to not knowing exactly what role UNRWA or even the United Nations will play in the peace plan:"It would be good to know what the parties working on the agreement have planned." Since March of this year, Israeli authorities have blocked UNRWA and other humanitarian actors from entering the Gaza Strip.
2:00 PM
Four of the Spaniards from the second flotilla detained by Israel will be expelled in the coming hours.
Four of the eight Spaniards traveling on the latest flotilla carrying aid to Gaza intercepted this week by Israel will be expelled in the coming hours, according to information provided to Europa Press by Rumbo a Gaza, one of the organizations involved in the initiative.
Specifically, Israel will expel Jimena González Gómez, a Más Madrid deputy in the Madrid Assembly; María Teresa Arancón; María Plata Díaz; and Yacine Belkaid Ayari.
The first two were traveling aboard the Thousand Madleens initiative's sailboats, while the second two were aboard the Conscience, a former ferry chartered by Rumbo a Gaza. Another member of the group traveling on this boat, Italian Elisabeth di Luca, a resident of Spain, will also be deported by Israel, the organization stated.
The Más Madrid MP is expected to arrive at Barajas Airport tonight, according to her party, while the rest of the flotilla members are expected to be deported via Istanbul. It is not yet clear when they will arrive in Spain, according to Rumbo a Gaza.
13:58
The families of the hostages believe that no one has done more for peace than Trump.
Relatives of the Israeli hostages in Gaza believe that, although Venezuelan María Corina Machado is the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, no leader or organization has done more for peace than US President Donald Trump.
"The truth is undeniable," the Missing Hostages and Families Forum said in a statement Friday, after learning that President Trump, one of the nominees for the award given by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, was not recognized, Efe reported.
The hostages' families believe that"no award, or lack thereof, can diminish the profound impact" Trump's work has had on their families, behind the current ceasefire agreement that went into effect today in Gaza and under which the 48 captives will be released.
In October, families of the Gaza hostages nominated Trump for the award, asserting that"no leader or organization has contributed more to world peace than President Trump." "His commitment to bringing home every last hostage and ending this war is not dependent on awards or accolades," they emphasized, while predicting that"history will remember his achievements as the most significant contributions to world peace of our time."
13:12
Netanyahu says 20 hostages are still alive and 28 are dead.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that 20 of the 48 hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip are alive and 28 are dead, in a speech following the entry into force of a truce with Hamas in Gaza.
The Israeli leader hopes his country will celebrate a"day of national joy" starting Monday evening, when all the hostages are expected to be returned from Gaza. That day will coincide with the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.
13:05
UNICEF reports two babies evacuated from northern Gaza
UNICEF evacuated two of the 18 newborns remaining in a hospital in northern Gaza to reunite them with their parents in the south of the enclave, the agency reported Friday. The attempt to transfer the two babies had been suspended on Thursday due to the continued Israeli military offensive on the city, but the children have now been reunited with their parents, the agency said.
"We had 18 babies in incubators at the beginning of the week. Two were transferred yesterday," UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires said during a press conference in Geneva, adding that the remaining newborns remain in incubators awaiting Israeli security clearance."I hope this is just an example of what will come after the ceasefire is fully implemented," he added.
12:47
Netanyahu says Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza demilitarized"by fair means or foul."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message on Friday that the next phases of the ceasefire plan following the hostage handover include Hamas surrendering its weapons and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, including through the use of force, Efe reported.
"We are cornering Hamas from all sides in preparation for the next stages of the plan, in which Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarized. If this is achieved by fair means, so be it. If not, it will be achieved by foul means," the president warned.
Netanyahu also recounted the decisions he has made throughout the war offensive, such as the invasion of Rafah—considered a"red line" by former President Joe Biden—and the seizure of the Gaza border with Egypt.
"But I also tell you, to put it mildly, that it wasn't easy. I faced enormous pressures, both internal and external: pressure not to enter Rafah, pressure not to take the Philadelphia axis, pressure not to operate in other theaters, pressure to stop the war and withdraw from the Strip, when Hamas, Hezbollah, the Assad regime, and Iran were at the height of their power," he added."But I firmly rejected all of these pressures, because I had a single consideration in mind: Israel's security," he insisted.
12:10
The UN unveils a 60-day plan to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher presented a plan to provide aid to Gaza during the first 60 days of the ceasefire, following more than seven months of a near-total Israeli blockade of these basic goods.
"Our detailed and tested plan is ready," he said, stressing that 170,000 metric tons of food, medicine, and other products are already prepared to enter the Strip, Efe reported.
Fletcher said the UN and its partners want to increase the flow of supplies to"hundreds of trucks per day" and expand food distribution to reach more than two million Gazans, including some 500,000 in need of nutritional support.
According to a statement from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which he heads, humanitarian workers would also assist in the recovery of the devastated health system and the provision of medicines and medical services.
11:35
The Israeli army announces that the ceasefire in Gaza has now entered into force.
The Israeli military announced Friday that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza went into effect at noon local time (09:00 GMT), 11:00 a.m. in Spain."From 12:00 p.m. (Israel time), IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated lines of deployment, in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of the hostages," the Israeli military said.
"Southern Command forces are deployed in the area and will continue to act to eliminate any immediate threat," he added, according to Sal Emergui.
11:22
Israeli police file charges and request pretrial detention for activist Reyes Rigo.
Israeli police filed charges and requested pretrial detention this Friday against Mallorcan activist Reyes Rigo, who was arrested during the interception of the Sumud Global Flotilla last week and accused of biting a female prison official at Ketziot Prison.
"This morning, the Negev Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment and a request for pretrial detention against a Spanish citizen for assaulting a guard at Ketziot Prison," the police said in a statement.
The indictment states that the Spanish woman refused to enter the cell and attacked a guard by biting her hand, causing serious injuries, the text details.
"The Israel Police will crack down on any attempt to damage government symbols and public officials, and will bring those involved to justice," it added.
Rigo's detention in Israel had been extended by the Beersheba court until this Friday, so it remains unclear whether she will be released following this request for pretrial detention. A spokesperson for the Israeli prison system did not respond to EFE's request for comment.
11:13
The Red Cross calls for releases to be carried out"with dignity."
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which will support the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, called on all parties Friday to ensure that the planned releases are carried out"with dignity" and "in safe conditions."
Under the agreement, 47 Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip—at least 25 of whom have died—will be released in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel."I urge the parties to honor their commitments. Release operations must be carried out safely and with dignity," ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric insisted in a statement reported by AFP.
11:10
China stresses the need for a"comprehensive and permanent" ceasefire in Gaza.
The Chinese government on Friday emphasized the need to achieve a"comprehensive and permanent" ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, effectively alleviating the humanitarian crisis and reducing tension in the region, after Israel and Hamas signed a peace agreement that was approved last night by the Israeli government.
At a press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated that his country"advocates upholding the principle of 'Palestine governed by Palestinians' and promoting the implementation of the 'two-state' solution."
10:52
Netanyahu: "We are in the midst of a crucial event."
"We are in the midst of a pivotal event. For the past two years, we have fought to achieve our war goals, and one of our primary objectives is the return of those held hostage, both alive and dead. And we will succeed. We could not have done this without the extraordinary help of President Trump and his team: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They worked tirelessly with Ron and his team, our team. These efforts, coupled with the courage of our soldiers who entered Gaza, created combined military and diplomatic pressure that isolated Hamas. I believe this has brought us here," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote in X.
10:44
The ship 'Furor' returns to Cartagena this Friday after 15 days in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
The maritime action vessel"Furor" returns to Cartagena (Murcia) this Friday after providing support to the ships that were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian humanitarian initiative transporting food and medicine for the population in Gaza, according to Navy sources confirmed to Europa Press.
The ship left its port in the early hours of September 26th with the goal, according to the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, of protecting the members of the fleet in case of difficulty.
The 'Furor', which is returning to its base after 15 days deployed, is an ocean patrol vessel of the 'Meteoro' class, built by Navantia and delivered to the Navy in January 2019. It has a crew of fifty people and on board carries a 3-inch Oto Melara cannon and two MK-38 Mod.2 25 mm machine guns.
10:17
An Israeli soldier was killed Thursday before the ceasefire.
The Israeli army has announced that one of its soldiers was killed Thursday in Gaza City by sniper fire, in an attack that took place before the implementation of the ceasefire in the Strip. The 26-year-old soldier, Michael Mordechai Nachmani, died"in combat in the northern Gaza Strip," according to the army.
A military source told EFE that it was a sniper shot in the Gaza capital, without providing further details.
9:50
The Israeli army controls 53% of the Gaza Strip.
This first withdrawal leaves approximately 53% of the Gaza Strip under Israeli control, covering an area of approximately 185 square kilometers. During the offensive, Israel controlled more than 80% of the enclave—either as a military zone or under a forced evacuation order, Efe reports.
Israeli troops do remain stationed in military areas such as the Netzarim Corridor, which cuts Gaza in two from Kibbutz Beeri to the Mediterranean, the Philadelphia Corridor, and the Morag Axis in the south.
In a statement today, the Gaza Civil Defense again urged Palestinians"not to approach or return" to areas where Israeli forces were stationed, especially the border areas of Gaza City,"until the withdrawal has been officially announced by the relevant authorities."
"Failure to heed this warning puts your life at risk. We urge everyone to heed it for their safety and to facilitate the work of emergency teams," the rescue service added.
9:27
Israeli troops begin to withdraw from urban areas of Gaza
The Israeli army began withdrawing toward the so-called yellow line on Friday, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement in force and abandoning cities like the capital and other urban areas, EFE confirmed on the ground.
The gradual withdrawal of troops has allowed the population to return to neighborhoods in Gaza City such as Tal al Hawa and Sheikh Radwan, but movement from the south to the north of the enclave remains prohibited, with artillery strikes and drone surveillance as a deterrent.
9:00
Germany announces reconstruction conference for Gaza with Egypt
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday hailed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas after more than two years of war in Gaza as"good news" and confirmed that Germany, together with Egypt, will host a reconstruction conference for the Strip at a date yet to be determined.
"After more than two years of war in Gaza, a ceasefire has finally been agreed upon. This is good news for people in the Middle East and far beyond," he emphasized in a statement, in which he thanked US President Donald Trump for his peace efforts and Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for their mediation.
Merz also expressed his gratitude to the Israeli government, which, he said,"has paved the way for peace" with its approval of the plan last night.
"Now we need swift implementation. The hostages, including German citizens, must finally return to their families. The ceasefire must come into effect and stabilize over the next few weeks. Humanitarian aid must reach the people in Gaza quickly," the German chancellor emphasized.
8:30
Iran believes the truce in Gaza could open the door to Israeli attacks in other areas.
An influential adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned that the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza could be"the end of the ceasefire" in other countries in the region, in an apparent reference to possible Israeli attacks on other countries.
"The start of the ceasefire in Gaza could be the behind-the-scenes end of the ceasefire elsewhere," Ali Akbar Velayati, one of Khamenei's top advisers, said in X.
Velayati tagged Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon in his post, and did not mention Iran.
Israel and Iran went to war in June, initiated by the Jewish state, in a conflict in which it attacked military, nuclear, and civilian facilities on Iranian soil.
8:20
The US will send 200 troops to Gaza.
The U.S. Army will send 200 troops to Gaza to join the humanitarian monitoring efforts as part of the implementation of the first phase of the peace agreement with Hamas. According to the U.S. Central Command, the troops will establish a"civil-military coordination center" in Israeli and Palestinian territory.
The troops will work alongside soldiers from other countries such as Egypt, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates as part of the agreed support for the agreement signed Wednesday.
Admiral Bradley Cooper will be the officer in charge of the troops, whose mission is to ensure security and monitor the actions of local forces, Efe reports.
Military sources added that this deployment in the Middle East has been practiced with troops in recent months and assured that the security plans to be developed will be shared with Israeli authorities.
