File image of Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo: X/@netanyahu)
As Israeli forces began pulling back from Gaza after a new ceasefire deal, thousands of Gazans started returning to their destroyed homes. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the war could resume if Hamas is not disarmed.
The truce, brokered by US President Donald Trump, brought temporary relief after two years of fighting. Yet uncertainty remains over whether Hamas will surrender its weapons. In a video message on Friday, Netanyahu made it clear that Israel’s main goal, which is Hamas’s disarmament, would be achieved “under any condition.”
“Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized. If this is achieved the easy way, great. And if not, it will be achieved the hard way,” Netanyahu said.
The ceasefire officially began at noon on Friday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that troops had started pulling back from Gaza and positioning themselves along new lines. “Troops are deployed in the area and will continue to remove any immediate threat,” the IDF said on X (formerly Twitter).
According to reports, Israel still controls around 53% of Palestinian territory. The Pentagon said Israel had completed the first phase of demilitarisation. President Trump expressed optimism that the ceasefire would hold, saying both sides were “tired of the fighting.”
As calm returned, thousands of displaced Palestinians began heading back home. Gaza’s civil defence spokesman, Mahmud Bassal, said about 200,000 people had returned to northern Gaza since the truce began. Rescue teams were also seen pulling bodies from the rubble in heavily damaged neighbourhoods, AFP reported.
Meanwhile, Italy announced that the European Union mission at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt would reopen for pedestrians on October 14.
Under the peace deal, Hamas will release 47 remaining hostages, both living and dead, out of the 251 taken during the October 7 attack two years ago. Israel will release 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans detained since 2023.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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