Gaza Truce Comes Into Effect After 3 Years Of Deadly War, Confirms Israeli Army

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Donald Trump, began at 0900 GMT and the IDF confirmed the truce and troop repositioning for hostage release.

The Southern Command is monitoring the situation and remains vigilant against potential threats despite the cessation of hostilities.

Source : X

A ceasefire in Gaza officially came into effect at 0900 GMT (12:00 PM local time) on Friday, following a truce and hostage-release agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Gaza Truce Comes Into Effect

In a statement released shortly after the ceasefire took hold, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed, “The ceasefire agreement came into effect at 12:00,” noting that troops had begun repositioning along updated deployment lines in accordance with the deal.

“Since 12:00 (0900 GMT), IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages,” the statement said.

The IDF further announced that its Southern Command continues to monitor the situation closely and will “remain alert to neutralize any immediate threats” despite the cessation of active hostilities.

The conflict in Gaza began after Hamas launched attacks on Israeli cities on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people. During the assault, Hamas also captured 251 hostages, more than 50 of whom remain in captivity.

Since then, Israeli military operations have reportedly killed over 66,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The region continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, with widespread shortages of food and medical supplies. The World Health Organization recently warned that malnutrition rates in Gaza have reached alarming levels.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated US President Donald Trump on the “success” of the first stage of a US-mediated peace initiative for Gaza, praising his efforts to end hostilities. The conversation took place against the backdrop of strained India-US relations, following Washington’s imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including 25 per cent duties on India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

This marked the second phone call between Modi and Trump in just over three weeks, following a conversation on September 16, when Trump called to wish Modi ahead of his 75th birthday.

Modi also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, congratulating him on the advancements made under the Gaza peace plan.