Ceasefire takes hold after deadly night of Israeli strikes in Gaza
US.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began Friday noon after two years of relentless war
GAZA, Palestine (MNTV) – A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect Friday noon, ending nearly two years of devastating war that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, displaced most of the population, and reduced large parts of the Gaza Strip to rubble.
The truce came after a deadly night of bombardment.
The Health Ministry in Gaza said at least 17 Palestinians were killed and 71 others wounded in the past 24 hours. Al Jazeera reported that the bodies of 35 people were pulled from the ruins of the Baptist Hospital, including 19 in Gaza City alone.
The Israeli army confirmed that its forces began withdrawing to “agreed deployment lines” as the ceasefire took effect under a plan mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. The announcement came just hours after residents in northern Gaza reported heavy shelling.
Israel’s Justice Ministry also published a list of 250 Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for Israeli captives held in Gaza. The list excludes several senior figures long demanded by Hamas, including Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Hassan Salameh, and Abbas al-Sayyed — all seen by Palestinians as symbols of resistance.
Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said mediators had guaranteed that the deal “ends the war completely.” The first phase of the plan reportedly gives Hamas 72 hours to release both surviving captives and the remains of those killed during the conflict.
According to Israeli media, the army will complete its pullback to positions along the so-called Yellow Line within 24 hours, marking the first full withdrawal since the start of the war in October 2023.
U.S. officials say the ceasefire forms part of President Donald Trump’s broader peace plan for Gaza, which includes a multi-stage process for reconstruction and prisoner exchanges.
The initial withdrawal has exposed scenes of staggering devastation.
Footage shared by journalists and activists shows entire districts of Gaza City leveled to the ground. In Sheikh Radwan, the area surrounding the Saeed Siyam Mosque was obliterated; nearby residential blocks were reduced to rubble, and major roads ripped apart by armored bulldozers.
Similar destruction was documented in Al-Nasr and Shujaiya, where thousands of homes, hospitals, and schools have been flattened.
Satellite imagery and drone footage released by independent agencies confirm the near-total erasure of several neighborhoods. UN officials have described the scale of damage as “beyond comprehension,” warning that the recovery could take decades.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed at least 67,194 Palestinians and injured 169,890, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Thousands more are still buried under collapsed buildings. Nearly 80% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, and basic infrastructure — from water systems to hospitals — lies in ruins.
As the guns fell silent, thousands of displaced families began moving northward Friday, sifting through the rubble of what were once homes.
For many in Gaza, the ceasefire brings a fragile hope for survival — but whether it marks the true end of the war remains deeply uncertain.
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