LAST UPDATE | 10 Oct

THE ISRAELI MILITARY said a ceasefire in Gaza came into effect at 10am Irish time, after Israel and Hamas agreed to a truce and hostage-release deal proposed by US President Donald Trump.

Thousands of displaced Palestinian men, women and children began heading to northern Gaza after the start of the truce.

The IDF confirmed the ceasefire came into place and said “troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had said earlier today that the government had “approved the framework” of a hostage release deal with Hamas.

Israel previously said “all parties” had signed the first phase of a ceasefire agreement, adding that Hamas freeing the captives would “bring the end to this war”.

Last month, Trump proposed a 20-point peace plan for Gaza.

The US President said he planned to leave on Sunday for the Middle East.

Senior US officials said a military team of 200 people, led by US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper, would be deployed in the Middle East to “oversee” the truce.

One official said Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and probably Emirati military officials would be embedded in the team. A second official said “no US troops are intended to go into Gaza”.

Egypt is planning an event to celebrate the conclusion of the deal, with Trump also expected to stop in Israel and consider going to devastated Gaza.

Israeli soldiers drive a tank along the Israeli-Gaza border today, as seen from southern Israel. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The Israeli government had said the ceasefire was to take hold within 24 hours of meetings on Thursday to approve the deal, under which the military should eventually withdraw from Gaza.

Netanyahu had faced pushback from his far-right allies, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir saying he would vote against the agreement, calling the plan to release thousands of Palestinians in exchange for the 47 hostages remaining in Gaza “an unbearable heavy price”.

Despite celebrations in Israel and Gaza and a flood of messages from world leaders hailing the deal, numerous issues remain unsettled, including the plan’s call for Hamas to disarm and a proposed transitional authority for Gaza led by Trump himself.

With additional reporting from AFP