Israel Defense Forces, on Friday, announced it was withdrawing its personnel from some parts of Gaza, following the terms of a ceasefire deal, ratified by the government.

The latest development follows Israel’s approval of a deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas, under President Donald Trump’s peace initiative.

The agreement occurred in the early hours of Friday, after President Trump and Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya announced that the war in Gaza was reaching its end.

As contained in the peace terms, the Israeli military is expected to withdraw from Gaza within 24 hours.

IDF stated, “Since 12:00, IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.”

“IDF troops in the Southern Command are deployed in the area and will continue to remove any immediate threat,” Israel’s forces added.

Responding, Gaza’s Civil Defence, in a Telegram post, warned citizens to avoid returning to the border communities of Gaza City until an official announcement reiterating that withdrawal by the IDF has been made.

“Violating this warning puts your life at risk. We urge everyone to comply for your safety and to facilitate the work of emergency teams and field authorities,” the GCD spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, said.