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Israeli military says ceasefire now in effect after IDF pulls back from parts of Gaza | BBC News

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A ceasefire agreement has been implemented, marking the initial phase of a broader peace plan. This phase focuses on the release of hostages and prisoners, with Israeli troops repositioning to agreed-upon lines.

And uh it's entitled the ceasefire

agreement goes into effect at 12:00. So

20 minutes ago. Since 12:00 it says the

IDF troops began positioning themselves

along the updated deployment lines in

preparation for the ceasefire agreement

and the return of hostages. as the IDF

troops in the southern command are

deployed in the area and will continue

to remove any immediate threat. So that

sounds like official confirmation, Hugo,

from uh the IDF. And we have been

hearing uh reports, haven't we, for the

past two days that Hamas has already

started uh gathering uh the hostages,

getting ready for uh for the handover uh

and looking for the remains, although

it's been made clear that they may not

be able to retrieve the remains of the

28 who either died in captivity or were

killed during the events of October the 7th.

Exactly. So, we're likely to see now the

preparations for the release of the of

the hostages who remain in captivity in

Gaza. 48 hostages are still there. 20 of

these these hostages are believed to

remain alive and they are expected to be

released if not altogether uh very you

know in the same moment. Uh but uh it

also seems that Hamas needs a little bit

of time to locate uh the bodies of some

of the hostages who've been killed uh in

captivity. Uh it says that it doesn't

have the precise location of all uh

bodies. Uh so uh it is going to be

obviously a very difficult moment for

some of those families. It will be a

moment for happiness for the families of

the hostages who will be returning home.

But for some of the families, the wait

So as Hugo Bacha and I I spoke to him

about an hour ago. We're going to keep

an eye on all of the latest, but let's

also look ahead a bit. We can join

Manakima Mlene who is ameritus professor

of politics at political science at

Baralan University. He's also an expert

in Israeli Palestinian uh negotiations

and helped in the past adide advising

previous Israeli delegations to peace

talks. when I'm thank you very much for

joining us on BBC News.

>> Thank you for having me.

>> When you look at the details of this

first phase of the peace plan, how does

it look to you? Does it look set for success?

success?

the there there is a chance of success

because there is a supervision and

guarantee supplied to Hamas by the

mediators and particular the United

States. In my view, Netanyahu has an

interest to stop the uh the plan after

getting back the hostages and the

bodies. The very fact that the

right-wing ministers that voted against

the deal stay in the cabinet shows

I conclude from it that Netanyahu

promised them that he will do his best

in order to end the uh the

implementation of the plan after the

first stage because Netanyahu and the

right-wing face a problem. They promise

total victory and they promise also that

the Israel is just one inch

before achieving its absolute victory

over Hamas. Now the plan in the plan

Hamas stays. Hamas is not vanished.

Hamas is will not govern Gaza but still

exist. And if Hamas decide to go into

politics to refresh and uh reframe its

political plan from 2017, it can it can

achieve much much support in the

>> Yes. And I should mention uh that as

we're speaking uh the prime minister

there's a he's put out a pre-recorded

statement now speaking in Hebrew about

uh the process so far the agreement by

the Israeli cabinet and looking ahead

we're going to get a translation of that

shortly. So let's let's continue to

discuss. You mentioned the Israeli

public. As you know, the Israeli public,

their view of peacemaking, of relations

with the Palestinians has changed and

hardened over the years. Now you have

President Trump saying to the Israeli

public he's going to work with them to

try to achieve peace. One of the

relatives of one of the hostages said to

me that he thought President Trump could

provide some leadership going forward.

How do you see that?

the uh we have a divided society. Uh

one part of the Israeli society

demonstrates in favor of having a deal

and the demonstrations took place over

two years. The Israeli government

Netanyahu in particular refused to make

a deal unless he was imposed to agree by Trump.

Trump.

uh this deal could have been and in my

view should have been implemented and agreed

agreed

many months ago but then the United

States was unwilling to impose it on on Netanyahu.

Netanyahu.

So the the other part of the Israeli society

society

resisted the the proposals the deals

that were on the table. the now the is

the those who support the government

those in the right wing have a a

cognitive dissonance a cognitive

dissonance be between seeing the

hostages back at home ending the war the

Israeli army's fatigue but the price of

releasing many Palestinian prisoners and

not achieving the war goals the war

goals that the right-wing

believed in and consumed what Netanyahu

told he told them that we are one inch

ahead of achieving a total victory and

and deleting Hamas finishing Hamas

forever. This is unachievable. This

cannot be achieved and this is not

included in the in Trump's plan.

Moreover, Hamas stays and no Israeli

ad civil administration will manage

civil affairs in Gaza Strip. It will be

an international force, international

task force and international army will

be deployed in a in a Gaza strip. This

this never happened in the West Bank

even not in Oslo agreement. The the very

fact that Trump's plan mentions uh the

the option of having a Palestinian state

sometime in the far future is also a a

new component in in the Middle East

politics. This was not included in Oslo

agreement. This is against Netanyahu's

>> as you know

>> life mission. >> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> Yes. As you know in the 20point plan it

refers to a political horizon without

mentioning the controversial issue of a

Palestinian state which as you mentioned

is rejected by the current Israeli

leadership. There is of course an

alternative scenario that some of the

opposition parties have said they will

provide a safety net to Prime Minister

Netanyahu if his far right-wing allies

do pull out and of course the country is

heading to elections at some point um in

the next in the next year. Is that

possible that a new leadership will

emerge with or without Prime Minister Netanyahu?

Netanyahu?

>> Maybe. But the politics will remain

almost the same. The style will be

different, the personalities will are

different, but the the policies are very

very similar. We don't have a real opposition

opposition

right now. The uh political imagination

of the Israeli opposition, the Jewish

opposition, I must say, is very very

limited. They they lack political imagination.

imagination.

And I do think that it's the the mission

of the international community and and

the peace lovers, Israeli civil society

members to to influence on the

opposition to go ahead and have a

vision. They don't have a their own

vision. They buy what they what

Netanyahu put forward as as the Israeli

So, do you do you see you don't seem to

find any uh cause for optimism at a time

when President Trump is hailing peace in

the Middle East where you've got a

coalition of actors working together in

unprecedented ways to push this forward?

I see some optimism in the very fact

that this Israeli government, this

Israeli administration failed

what on whatever it wanted to achieve.

It put forward unachievable war goals

and failed to achieve them. uh Netanyahu

ordered to attack Qatar and and made all

Arab countries and Turkey to turn

against him and put pressure on on Trump

to stabilize the the region by imposing

a deal on Netanyahu. The attack on Qatar

signaled to Turkey, to Jordan, to Egypt

that they are also exposed to Israeli

aggression. So Trump was called in by

his allies and it was and this shows

that the main partnership is between

Qatar and United States not between

Israel and United States. So what what

Netanyahu is very proud of being the uh

his own league leader in international

politics shows that this is not true. He

failed. He failed to block the uh the

deal and he failed President Trump from

putting forward a plan that the end of

the road far end there is a Palestinian

>> Manakam Klein, thank you very much. Uh

professor of political science at

Baralan University. Thank you very much

uh for joining with your reflections

founded in your law as uh an advisor to

former Israeli delegations. So as you

can see still a lot of great deal of

skepticism about the long-term future of

President Trump's 20 point peace plan

which was of course drawn up but with

the cooperation the input the advice of

many of the Arab states across the

region who we expected President Trump

spoke about that that they would put

money in to try begin to redevelop Gaza.

But look at some of these live pictures

now we're getting from the Gaza Strip

now that the ceasefire is in force.

Israeli forces have pulled back to the

agreed lines. And there's been warnings

about which routes that Palestinians can

use if they want to go north. Some of

them going along the main Al-Rasheed

coastline, leaving the south where they

have been living in tents, displaced

time and again. Many are now finally

moving north. Yesterday when they tried,

they were pushed back. Now with the

ceasefire, they can move along that

road. And the reports that we're getting

already going to

you, it's hard to say their homes,

what's left of their homes in Gaza City.

These are bittersweet moments. They feel

at last they don't have to live in a

tent, but when they go back to their

homes, it is just the rubble. But so

many say to us they prefer to be in a

tent next to their rubble than in a part

of of Gaza where they don't have access

to resources and where they really feel

uh they can't they find it very very

difficult to provide for themselves.

These are the kind of images we're going

to continue to see um as this first

phase of the peace plan unfolds. And

what are we watching for most of all is

that now about 70 hours to go before the

last of the hostages according to this

plan, 20, the remains of as many

possible that can be retrieved, 28 will

be returned to their families and the

pal hundreds of Palestinian prisoners

also reunited with their loved ones.

This is a very political moment, very

secure, a lot of sec intense security,

but also a very human moment. Great

overwhelming human emotion. We're going

to keep an eye on all the developments.

>> And as Le was saying there, this is

really overwhelming, a huge moment. We

waited for 2 years to get here. Previous

ceasefire agreements falling to the

wayside, though we had had previous

hostage releases. And that's one aspect

of the ceasefire agreement. But what we

see right now is that coastal road in

central Gaza as Palestinians are now

moving as air strikes have now ceased

for the past hour and 20 minutes.

They're now moving back to the north.

The north which is reduced to rubble as

Lee was saying. So much destruction

across Gaza. So little left and yet

people want to return to

where their homes once stood.

Now just some updates for you. The

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu said that the Israeli forces

will remain in Gaza and that is in his

words to exert pressure on Hamas until

the group disarms.

Netanyahu also said that all the

hostages will return in the coming days.

So our understanding is this initial

part of this ceasefire agreement part of

the wider peace deal plan

in which Donald Trump has been

instrumental on pushing forward. The

initial phase is the ceasefire where

which has been holding now for the past

hour and 20 minutes enabling

Palestinians to move back to their homes

or what is left of their homes. And that

will facilitate Hamas to be able to

bring the hostages, the remaining

Israeli hostages who are still alive, to

bring them to

places of safety where they can be returned.

returned.

And of course, that means as part of

this initial phase, Israeli troops, the

IDF will be moving back to an agreed

line. They will still be in Gaza. They

will still be within just over half of

the area of Gaza. So 53%

but they will be moving back from these

types of areas. But as we hear Netanyahu

saying that the forces will remain in

Gaza in order to exert pressure on Hamas

until the group disarms.

Now due to the nature of the peace deal

itself, the 20 points outlined by Donald

Trump that he was instrumental in

pushing forward, it is very vague in

terms of what disarmament actually means

for Hamas because they have consistently

said that they refuse to disarm and that

is exactly what the Israeli government

want. So, with the ambiguities and the

complexities of this plan, I caught up a

little bit earlier with our

>> Well, first of all, the ceasefire um

clearly hasn't quite started yet. I

think that's absolutely the case.

Whatever people are saying, uh and maybe

the next 24 hours or so that is going to

happen that they will stop those

strikes. I think the IDF is pulling back

and that's probably why they're

continuing them. In terms of this all

goes back to the Trump 20point plan that

was that he put out a week or two ago.

And the thing about it is that if you

look at it, there is very little detail.

There isn't just a lack of detail.

There's ambiguity. There's there some

things even seem quite contradictory

inside it. So the really big diplomatic

challenge now that they've done the

first phase or agreed to that and it's

going to unfold over the next couple of

days seems pretty certain is is filling

in all of those gaps. And that is the

difficult stuff because ambiguity is

something that works quite well where

you're trying to get people to agree

but when it comes to actually

implementing you need hard uh deals.

And that's a really important point

because we are quite unclear when it

comes to a timeline for a transfer of

authority, how the governance mechanism

will even work across Gaza. Who is even

involved in that, Jeremy?

>> Well, it hasn't been worked out. Uh in

the 20point plan, there are various

aspirational things and there is they've

said that here's the structure. There'll

be this council of peace on the top. Uh

Donald Trump will be the chair. Uh Tony

Blair's going to be involved as well.

um and then there's going to be some

kind of technocratic institution and

there will be some kind of international

force. It's very vague. There have to be

a lot of very um hard details worked out

and and that's the tough thing. Uh and

there things have to happen too like a

UN security council resolution to

authorize the presence of these foreign

troops there. I don't think that um Arab

or Muslim countries are going to really

want to get involved in something that

legally would be uh an illegal operation

lacking that kind of legitimacy that you

get from a security council resolution.

I think they could get the resolution,

but it takes time and with the

difficulties in Gaza and the complexity

of things, maybe they don't have

indefinite amounts of time. And on that

point, of course, aid getting in is

absolutely critical in that first stage

uh given the the famine, given the

humanitarian uh issues there, the acute

malnutrition. But what about the

rebuilding? Because we see the absolute

devastation across Gaza. Is there even

any idea of who will be undertaking that

the contracts that potentially will be

implemented to to get Gaza rebuilt?

We're still not even clear on that, are

we, Jeremy?

No, that's a long way off. That's a long

way off. Uh there's there's, you know,

hundreds of thousands of tons of rubble

apart from anything else. I think that

that will have to wait quite a while

because first of all what they need to

do is to get some stability for more

than two million people almost all of

whom have been displaced on multiple

occasions who it was already with the

entire Gaza Strip uh which is a tiny

piece of land was already one of the

most densely populated places in the

world and now more than 2 million people

have been pushed into a fraction of it

by the IDF by the Israeli military.

country. So, question mark, how to what

extent will they be allowed to go back

to where they came from? What about what

happens in the north of Gaza? Israel

seems to want to stay in that particular

area. There's pressure inside the

Israeli cabinet for uh permission to

allow Jews to settle there. Now, I don't

think that's going to be happening.

Certainly not as yet. And they're very

disappointed that it's not. But it's not

off the agenda. So there are lots of

things in the future in the immediate

future that we don't know about and the

challenge is going to be to try and deal

with some of these ambiguities and

uncertainties and come out with a

tangible diplomatic agreement which you

know Trump is not a details man. He's

been a bulldozer pushing this through.

Getting to the detail will take a

sustained diplomatic effort and

agreements. It's not something that

necessarily can be imposed in the same

way that he actually said with, you

know, after the 9th of September attacks

on on Doha, on the Hamas leadership in

Doha by the Israelis. That's that

clearly was uh Netanyahu overplaying his

hand massively. And the consequences

that he's dealing with now is that Trump

has gone in there because attacking

Qatar is bad for America. Trump has got

in there and he's grabbed him by the

scruff of the neck and said, "Israel is

going to the table and you're going to

stay there until there is a deal based

on my 20 points." Now, that has

happened, but what happens next? The

detailed stuff very difficult to achieve.

achieve.

>> Jeremy Bowen there, our international

editor, just outlining the the amount of

work that still needs to be done. And

when we had that conversation, it was a

few hours ago. Jeremy was just

emphasizing that the ceasefire hadn't

been implemented. And that kind of gives

you an idea of the level of confusion

and the nuance and the vagueness of this

plan because our understanding had been

that once the Israeli cabinet had

ratified the plan, then the ceasefire

would come into force. And yet that

happened last night. Uh we heard the

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu just after um midnight BST. So

uh 2:00 in the morning local time

describing it as a momentous

development. The confirmation coming

through that both that the Israel and

Hamas had agreed that ceasefire and

hostage release deal uh after the

Israeli cabinet had ratified and voted

through that deal. And yet overnight we

still and into the early hours of this

morning we still saw sporadic air

strikes into Gaza. Now we know that the

IDF have said that that ceasefire is now

implemented. We're now an hour and a

half into it. So it seems to be holding

and that's why we are now seeing

thousands of people make their way along

this coastal path along this what was

once a road in Gaza all going to the

north where huge swaves of Gaza has been

reduced to rubble and yet they still

want to return to the places where their

homes once stood.

So that confusion around the timing of

the ceasefire, we now know that it is

now implemented and it is now holding.

Uh we also know that Israeli troops have

moved to the agreed line which means

that they are still occupying Gaza.

They're still within 53% of the Gaza

Strip, but they've moved back somewhat

now. And we also know that US the US has

moved around 200 troops to Israel and

that's in order to help coordinate this

whole operation. They themselves the US

troops will not be entering into Gaza

itself. It's the aid organizations that

are organizing and will be moving aid in.

in.

Aid has been approved to go into Gaza.

It's desperately needed. Uh the UN Enra

was saying they've got 172,000

tons of aid ready to get into Gaza. Aid

that will sustain Gaza, the whole of

Gaza for the next 3 months. It's not

just food, but also medical supplies,

also tents, but we don't yet know if

that aid is already going through. So, a

lot of unknown still, but that aid

desperately needed to get into Gaza. And

of course, the other aspect of this

ceasefire deal, this initial part of the

overall peace plan that Donald Trump has

been instrumental in getting over the

line is the release of the hostages. We

know that Hamas has time to gather the

hostages to get them to the aid

organizations so that they will be then

finally returned to their loved ones.

And that's the living and the remains of

the deceased of whose whereabouts amass

know about. But this when that will

happen and where that will happen is

still unclear. So much is still unknown.

And that's not even talking about the

next stages of what happens with the

governance of Gaza and the rebuilding of

Gaza. Now a little earlier on my

colleague from radio 4 Amal Rajan was

able to speak to the UN humanitarian

chief Tom Fletcher and he began by

asking him what Tom Fletcher was hearing

from his colleagues on the ground in

Gaza itself.

>> I'm in very close touch with our teams

inside Gaza but also with survivors in

Neros Kibbutz and and civilians in Gaza

as well. They have long waited and hoped

for this moment and we've worked hard to

get here. It must not be a full storm.

We need to ensure that President Trump's

plan isn't blocked by hardliners on

either side. We're hearing there have

been strikes overnight. I think Jeremy

Bowen was reporting that about an hour

ago as well. Today is crucial. We need

the guns to go silent and we need this

ceasefire to be implemented.

>> And as far as you understand, Tom, who

is now responsible for aid in Gaza?

So, the UN has a plan. There's been

unimaginable suffering in Gaza. Tens of

thousands killed, including over 18,000

children. That's a child killed on

average every hour for 2 years. And this

agreement's a real breakthrough. But the

real breakthrough will be when the

hostages are home, when children are

fed, when they can sleep without terror

under a roof, when they're not bombed

and maimed, when they can be operated on

with anesthetics, when they can go back

to school, when families are reunited

again. And so, we will deliver that

plan. We've got a 60-day plan to get

that aid in to save lives at huge, huge

scale. We have fought and beaten famines

before and we will do it again this time.

time.

>> Very, very keen to talk to you about the

specifics of that plan in just a moment,

but I've got one other practical

question if I may before we get there,

which is how confident are you that the

restrictions previously placed on aid

deliveries by Israel who say that those

deliveries have been hijacked or

vandalized that those restrictions will

now be lifted?

So that's the big question for the

coming hours and days. And obviously

we're in very close touch with the

Israeli authorities uh in country to

make sure that those impediments, those

obstacles are now removed. We need all

the crossings open. We need safe routes

for our convoys. We need our people

protected. Hundreds of my colleagues

have been killed in the last two years.

We need the removal of red tape and

physical barriers. We need the power

back on to our bakeries, our hospitals,

our water stations.

It's a massive massive job ahead. We

need access for our NGO colleagues and

partners as well. And as you say, we

need the international media to get back

in and tell the world what is happening

and hold us to account for saving lives.

>> Well, let's go through some of your

plans for the coming uh weeks and

months. Then let's do this in stages if

we can. First of all, we'll get to uh

the health system which has been

decimated and water and sanitation. But

first of all, just on food, uh I think

your understanding if I'm correct me if

I'm wrong, but that there is now uh

significant famine and acute

malnutrition across the 2.1 million

people of Gaza. What are your plans for

increasing food deliveries immediately?

>> So that's objective number one. We've

got to get high nutrition food in. We've

got to get hundreds of truckloads

convoy. We need to overwhelm Gaza with

food and generosity and aid and help

right now. We need to get food to 2

million people across the strip in every

part of Gaza, north and south. And we

have those supplies prepositioned. We've

got 172,000 metric tons of food,

medicine, and tents all cleared, ready

to go in. The teams are on standby uh at

the crossings. The trucks are ready to

roll. And we'll use our community

networks, our expertise, our experience

to get that food where it is most

needed. What are your plans when it

comes to the health system?

>> It's a massive massive challenge. I I

saw for myself when I visited in in

January the scale of destruction of the

hospitals and of the medical sector and

of course it's got even worse uh since

then. So we've got to rebuild those

hospitals. We've got to get the

essential anesthetics in painkillers in.

We've got to ensure that full medical

supplies are flowing, but also medical

expertise because many of those working

nurses and doctors in that sector have

also been killed. It's a massive,

massive task ahead that has to run

alongside that effort to feed everyone

in Gaza.

>> And presumably one of the most urgent

tasks concerns water and sanitation.

>> We need to get water to 1.4 million

people as part of this plan. We also

need to help people prepare for the

winter ahead. It's getting much colder

already. And so we're looking to get

thousands of tents into Gaza in the

coming days and weeks to give them that

shelter, but also to give them the means

to start to go back and begin to rebuild

their lives. We also want to get the

kids back to school. So we have a plan

to get 700,000 school age kids back into

temporary classrooms at least and

supplied with the the books and the the

pens and pencils to begin studying

again. To what extent can you just

explain your the principles you apply to

uh the extent to which Tom you will work

with Hamas who remain in place who've

not been completely uh disarmed to get

that delivery to get those health

services to get the water and sanitation

through. What's your principled position

in terms of what you'll do with a group

which Israel says still needs to be

disarmed urgently. So our major priority

is to get that aid to civilians where

it's most needed. And here in Gaza, as

everywhere, we have to work in a

neutral, impartial, independent,

principled way. Now, everywhere we work,

and you know, I've been on the phone

today to colleagues in Sudan who are

getting past armed groups in Sudan. We

always have to negotiate access with

whoever is on the ground, but we

shouldn't have to ask to get to

civilians. will work with everyone we

need to work with to get past the

blockages, whether those are on the

border or whether those are the armed

groups inside Gaza and reach the

communities, the the moms and dads and

kids, the families who need this support

right now and can't wait.

>> This is obviously an extremely uh

precarious uh fast changing situation.

We're very grateful for your time

speaking to us. Tom, what's your biggest

concern about what could go wrong in the

coming days?

>> So, so many things can go wrong. You

know, the devil's in the detail of this.

I I think President Trump deserves real

credit for having got us to this point

and having set up this framework for a

ceasefire and potential peace. Now, we

have to get the details right. We've got

to move on from this vicious cycle of of

cruelty and terror and revenge and

complicity, indifference and and

inhumity. And then we have to rebuild

Gaza and beyond that somehow start to

rebuild trust and hope between Israelis

and Palestinians. And that's going to be

a really really long hard process. We've

got to rebuild confidence in

international law that's been so

corroded by this war. We've got to have

patience and we've got to have massive

generosity in the time ahead. And I hope

that people who've been moved by what

they've seen in Gaza will now be moved

to be generous. We're only 25% funded on

our appeal. So please, you know, pick up

the phone, get online, visit crisisreief.un.org,

crisisreief.un.org,

or call your MP and let's flood Gaza

with aid.

>> So Tom Fletcher there, the UN

humanitarian chief outlining the

enormous job it will be to to bring some

kind of normality back to Gaza given the

level of destruction after 2 years of uh

air strikes of bombardment.

uh as we continue to monitor

Palestinians making their way to the

north of the country, some parts of

which the worst

destructed uh moving back to what is

left of their homes, most of which are

in rubble. So a massive massive job, but

that initial phase critical in

having the air strikes stop and being

able to bring in the bring out the

Israeli hostages who have been held in

captivity for these past 2 years. Now,

we heard Israel's leader Benjamin

Netanyahu uh just confirm a little bit

earlier on that 20 hostages remain alive

in Gaza. Sadly, 28 are deceased. So the

hope is that those 20 hostages will be

released now that this first phase of

the ceasefire part of the overall peace

plan looks like is it's it's holding

looks like it's being implemented. Uh

Hamas has now uh 72 hours in which to

release those hostages who are still alive

alive

and bring the remains of the deceased to

a place of safety where they can then be

brought out of Gaza and brought back to

their loved ones. The understanding is

there are a number of the remains of the

deceased where Hamas is still yet to to

find the locations of which it's feared

that some remain underneath the rubble

in the buildings destroyed in Gaza.

But when specifically that's going to

happen, we still don't know because as I

keep reiterating, there is still so much

vagueness in this plan. There is still

so much that needs to be really ironed

out. But the understanding is that Hamas

has 72 hours in which the hostages have

to be released. And then Benjamin

Netanyahu saying that he hopes that

Israel can then go on to mark a day of

joy from nightfall on Monday if the

hostages return. So many ifs. There are

still so many ifs. But as we creep up to

the second hour of this ceasefire,

this first phase seems to be holding.

Now my colleague Lee Ducet who is in the

region, she was able to speak to Yehuda

Cohen. Yehuda is the father of Nimrod

Cohen and Nimrod was taken hostage by

Hamas after the October the 7th attacks.

Is still being held in Gaza.

is hopeful Yehuda that Nimrod will be

released within this 72-hour window. He

explained to Le just how he felt about

the efforts to bring his son to bring

Nimrod home.

>> It's going to take a few days. As you

said, ceasefire going to start 12:00

local time. So, we're counting 72 hours,

3 days. And we know Hamas will uh push

the limit. let us uh stall another few

days. But feelings are we are getting

finally to the end. Getting finally to

the end. Uh yeah, thanks to President

Donald Trump. He did it for some other

reason, but he did it at last, forcing

the to uh take the plan, go to a

ceasefire and release the Israelis, not

the American, the Israeli hostages,

Israeli soldiers like my son. So we're

looking forward mixed feelings along

with happiness is uh the moment we will

meet our son Nimrod in what condition

physically mentally psychologic

condition we will meet him what needs to

be done to uh we had a bait him it's

going to take time and of course uh

looking beyond beyond beyond our family

looking at our country there's a lot to

do to

fix our country. Got to start with this

person called Natao being dragged out of

any power on uh Israel uh government or

any decision. He's a danger to Israel.

Well, it's not just a warning, it's a

fact. Uh he had the one of the biggest

contribution to the event of the 7th of

October. This is the person and yeah I'm

concentrating on it not on but we have

to uh understand the source of the

problem. He is the one who made Hamas

get the capabilities of launching this

heinous attack on the 7th of October. He

was the one that used this attack to

prolong his position as a prime

minister, conducting an endless war,

sacrificing Israeli soldiers,

sacrificing hostages who who he is the

one responsible for them being taken. At

least 42 hostages were murdered during

captivity because of his uh uh position

sustaining his position games.

So we have to remember that and we have

to make sure this will never happen again.

again. >> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> And as you know Yehuda he he constantly

said that he had two war aims. One was

to destroy Hamas. The second was to

bring the hostages home. He kept saying

and for a while President Trump agreed

with him that military pressure would

work. But do you think without this huge

intervention by President Trump uh this

this day that you're now hope that

you're now just waiting for would never

have happened?

>> Yeah. Absolutely. Yes. Because first of

all regarding Nataniel's announcement

and I always said that before he opened

his mouth is lying. Okay. His target was his

his

securing his position as a prime

minister, escaping his criminal trial

he's on here in Israel. That's his only

purpose. And I'm saying it as one who

looked him in the eye and saw the lies

behind his eyes. I was meeting him not

one one by one, but I was meeting him

several time. last time was about two

and a half months ago when he was in

Washington in a reception in the Blair

House promising us that the first thing

we'll do after the partial deal which

never came through. We will talk about

releasing all the rest of the hostages.

Okay? Sitting in front of you and lying

brute force. This is Netanyahu regarding

Trump. And of course, I can't say any

bad word about Trump right now because

he forced Netanyahu to go for the deal.

But we know that that Trump was working

from his own interest right now. You

know, you you you are going to get give

the report of in one hour there going to

be a decision who will get the Nobel

Peace Prize and he's looking for that.

It's not a a coincidence that everything

is closing up towards the 10th of

September. in that uh in that angle. We

have to remember the pressure on Trump

from Arab countries especially after the

stupid attack on DHA Netanyahu

conducted. We have to remember uh the

European declaration including the UK

including Australia, Canada, France etc.

regarding recognition of Palestinian

state. This is a full collaboration with

modern Arab countries that kind of

closed everything that Trump has to

decide if he's uh only supporting

Netanyahu not Israel only supporting

Netanyahu and going against the rest of

the world and even uh you know inside US

public opinion even the MAGA people the

clear Trump supporters were starting

losing patient of how Netanyahu is kind

>> That was the voice of Yehuda Cohen, his

son Nimrod. Nimod Cohen, who has been

held by Hamas in Gaza since October the

7th, understandably upset, throwing

accusations at Benjamin Netanyahu,

saying that this military offensive

against Gaza, against Hamas was purely

to keep Benjamin Netanyahu in power.

It's an accusation we do hear a lot.

It's an accusation that of course

Benjamin Netanyahu would dispute,

but it's understandable that Yehuda Cohen

Cohen

is upset

and is awaiting the release of his son

two years on since he was taken hostage

Now,

within the past 5 minutes or so,

Benjamin Netanyahu has said he's

confirmed that 20 hostages remain alive

in Gaza, 48

are deceased,

deal

that Donald Trump has been very forceful

with, really pushed for the first part,

the ceasefire, the release of the

hostages, the withdrawal of Israeli

troops to an agreed position. Still

within Gaza, still occupying just over

half of the strip, but moving back so

that Hamas can now bring the hostages out.

out.

In return,

1,700 Palestinians will be released,

those held in Israeli prisons. So

incredibly complicated,

lot of moving parts, but as we see so

far, this first part, we're into just

coming up to full two hours of this

ceasefire. It is holding and you've got

tens of thousands of people making the

long journey back to what remains of

their homes. Now we know that when this

deal was initially announced by Donald

Trump, there was a welcome risception

from the international community

including the UK government and a little

bit earlier the UK foreign secretary

Iette Cooper spoke to my colleague on

>> Well we're hoping that this will be in

place imminently. the uh there were

discussions about the the timing. Our

view is that it should be brought in

straight away. We we just need a

desperately need the end complete end to

all of the fighting alongside the

release of hostages and the restoration

of desperately needed aid. We're already

working. There's already work underway

to get start getting the aid back in

place. So we need all of the components

of this ceasefire agreement, this first

phase of the US peace initiative have to

be in place as rapidly as possible,

implemented as swiftly as possible.

We've had 2 years of unimaginable

suffering and it's extremely important

that this is a moment of peace, not just

a moment of hope.

>> What do you understand of the deal? Um

just in terms of of the reporting, we

understand that one report said that

once the deal had been signed um or the

peace plan was in place, the ceasefire

plan was in place um within 24 hours

this um ceasefire would take come into

force. Another is saying that it it

would immediately come into force. Are

you any clearer as to what exactly is

Well, we were expecting it to come in

within 24 hours, but our view continues

to be we want it in place immediately,

as rapidly as possible, and we hope that

it will be brought in as as soon as is

possible. But I think you could see, I

mean, we've seen some of the images both

from the streets of Israel and the

streets of Gaza, the the desperate need

to celebrate that people have after such

a long time of suffering where you've

got the pain of hostage families, but

also the pain of of families across Gaza

who have uh endured the humanitarian

crisis for all of this time. We have to

have an end to this. This provides a

huge moment to be able to do so. It's a

tribute not just to the US leadership

but also to Qatar, Turkey, Egypt who've

been in the negotiations and all of the

countries including the UK have been

working to support this and also to make

sure it can be implemented going forward

and that's why I'm in Paris today.

>> Indeed, it leads very nicely into what

you are doing in Paris. What involvement

is are European countries, the UK going

to have with this um ceasefire agreement?

Well, the UK has been one of very many

countries that's been contributing to

this peace process. We've been putting

forward proposals over the last few

months. We've been involved in many of

the discussions to support President

Trump's initiative and we will continue

to do so. So, the discussions we had

with last night were also with other

countries like Jordan and Egypt on what

we need to do now to get the

humanitarian aid in as fast as possible.

We need UN agencies but also other uh

agencies that have experience on the

ground to be able to get that aid

rapidly in place. We talked to about the

need to restore medical uh facilities,

hospital services, basic health services

uh in Gaza as well. and we talked about

the longerterm issues around the

reconstruction of Gaza and how countries

can work together uh how we can raise

the finance to invest in Gaza's

reconstruction for the future. So a

range of different things we need all

countries to pull together. I have a

real sense at the moment and I've had

this for some time that there is a sense

of the whole world wanting to come

together to support a just and lasting

peace in the Middle East. And that means

security for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

alike.

>> What um involvement do you think

Benjamin Netanyahu is willing to accept

from European countries? In an interview

about 5 days ago on Euro News, um he

said Europe has basically caved into

Palestinian terrorism and radical

Islamist uh minorities. Europe has

essentially become irrelevant in

ceasefire plans because this is phase

There will of course there are two

different phases as part of the 20point

plan that uh President Trump published

and as I said a lot of countries

including the UK have contributed to

that process uh and to the plan to the

proposals that are included and we will

also continue to work together. of

course that this is going to involve

that partnership and of course this is

going to involve uh different decisions

along the way and of course look we have

had many disagreements with the um

Israeli prime minister on exactly the

points that you were referring to. We we

disagree on that. But the point now is

that we need countries coming together

to make peace a reality and to actually

make it happen because this is still a

fragile process, but it's one that there

is huge momentum behind and huge

commitment to. So we have to make it work.

work.

>> Do you believe that once Israel receives

the hostages, it will stick to the ceasefire?

>> Well, there's huge commitment from all

sides to make sure that that happens.

That's what you've heard from the US,

their commitment to making sure that

this agreement is maintained. We saw the

uh Israeli cabinet has accepted the uh

the full details of the first phase of

the agreement and they have also signed

up to President Trump's 20point plan.

So, it's immensely important that of

course they remain committed to that.

It's also immensely important, urgently

that Hamas release the hostages and that

there is no role for Hamas in the future

governance of Gaza or Palestine. We've

made clear that and it's also part of

President Trump's 20point plan. So,

look, a lot of work still to do, but

huge commitment to making that happen.

>> Has there been um any discussion of

European or British troops um military

That's not our plan. There's no plans to

do that. But there is an immediate

proposal for the US to lead what is

effectively like a monitoring process to

make sure that uh this has with hostage

release and also uh making sure that

this getting the the aid in place. But

they have also made very clear that they

expect the the troops on the ground to

be provided by neighboring states. And

that is something that we do expect to

happen. And there are those

international discussions about some of

those neighboring countries and others

contributing to this international uh

security force, this stabilization force

to make sure that peace can be implemented.

implemented.

>> The UK will be contributing of course in

different ways. One of the things that

we'll be doing is working closely uh

with Egypt. For example, even next week

we have meetings on how we can get

private finance to go into Gaza to help

invest in the future.

>> Iette Cooper there, the UK foreign

secretary speaking to my colleague Naga

Manetti and that was much earlier on in

the day where there was still a little

bit of confusion as to when the

ceasefire would be

implemented. So the idea was the

understanding initially was as we heard

uh Miss Cooper there say that it would

be pretty much soon after the Israeli

cabinet ratified the ceasefire deal

itself. But we've only we've learned now

that the IDF have within the past 2

hours implemented that ceasefire

agreement. So we're just creeping up to

that second hour of the ceasefire. So

that's why a little bit earlier on this

morning and throughout the night, we

still saw air strikes from Israel into

Gaza. That has now ceased and that's why

we're seeing this exodus of Palestinians

moving up uh moving north to find what

is left of their homes. So the agreement

has been brought forward which has been

ratified now overnight by the Israeli

cabinet. Well, it calls for that initial

Israeli withdrawal to a temporary border

uh and the release of the hostages, the

Israeli hostages, 20 of whom are still

alive, the return of the remains of the

28 deceased, and the release of roughly 1,700

1,700

the who were detained by the Israel

Defense Force in Gaza after Hamasa's

attack on October the 7th, two years

ago. And also Israel's release of 250

Palestinian prisoners who are serving

life sentences in Israeli jails after

being convicted of killing Israelis.

They will be released either to Gaza or

go to exile in Arab and Muslim

countries. And that's why it has been so

difficult to get this deal over the line

when it comes to the hardliners, the

ultraists within the Israeli cabinet.

But it was passed through and we're

seeing those initial stages, the

ceasefire deal, the hostage release, the

release of Palestinian prisoners

detained since October the 7th, and the

withdrawal of Israeli. I have to stress

because they're not fully withdrawing

from Gaza. They will be moving back to

occupy just over half of the Gaza Strip

and then in the next stages they will be

withdrawing further along. Hamas has 72

hours in which to release the Israeli hostages

hostages

and we don't know the details of when

exactly that will happen or where. So

are still an awful amount of unknowns,

but for the moment the ceasefire at

You join us in Hostages Square in uh Tel

Aviv where the anticipation is growing

after a ceasefire in Gaza came into

force around 2 hours ago uh after the

Israeli army pulled back to the approved

lines that were part of the deal

approved by the uh cabinet in Israel in

the early hours of this morning. As

we've been saying, as part of that plan,

uh the all of the remaining Israeli

hostages, alive and dead, are to be

returned home to Israel to their

families. Although the the Hamas has

said that it may not be able to retrieve

all of the remains given that some may

be buried under the mounds of rubble in

the battlefields of Gaza. Well, Israeli

troops have now positioned themselves

along an updated line in Gaza, uh, which

le still leaves them in control of 53%

of the territory. Now, in the past hour,

the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu,

Netanyahu,

um, has been speaking. He made a public

address, the first since his government

approved uh, this ceasefire deal on

Thursday evening. and uh he stressed uh

that he expected in the second phase for

Hamas to give up its guns in Gaza and

for the the strip to be demilitarized

and repeated what he and President Trump

have have said repeatedly. Either they

can do this the easy way through

negotiations or the hard way through

more military actions. Well, let's join

our Gaza correspondent who's now in

Istanbul, Rushi Abu Alu. Rushi, uh what

are the se what are the reports from the

>> Yes. For the last an hour and a half, we

haven't heard any report about Israeli

air strike as thousands of people

started to walk back into Gaza City

since the Israeli army withdrawn its

forces only from the beach road. Well,

Salahadin road the main one is still

closed and people are not allowed to

leave it. It depends of how much money

the people have. they can hire either a

car or a donkey cart or a bigger backup

car. But the majority of the people say

that they are they don't have 4,000

shekel which is about 900 pound to pay

for this trip. So they walk about 20

kilometers. I speaking to a teacher this

morning. He was waiting there and now

he's walking in the middle of the of the

crowd. He said that it is very very very

difficult journey without water. tired,

grim faces and they are working to after

the news from Gaza. They received this

morning that the destruction is

something that Gazan never seen before.

Especially the main three neighborhood,

the northern neighborhood of Shehwan,

Sabra and Zetun area, about 90% of the

>> And under the new withdrawal plan for

Israeli forces, those those lines

protect quite a few Palestinians from

Well, 900,000 Palestinians will not be

allowed to go back to their

neighborhoods during the first phase of

the ceasefire which no one know for how

long it will last. So the entire city of

Rafa all of the population about 200,000

people are staying in al- moasi and they

will continue to stay there because no

one is allowed to go back to Rafa and

Bah the two main places in northern Gaza

are also out of control

still under Israeli control no one will

be allowed about a quarter of Gaza city west eastern neighborhoods half ofun and

west eastern neighborhoods half ofun and 10% of D balah Uh so we are talking

10% of D balah Uh so we are talking about 9,000 people in total are not

about 9,000 people in total are not going to be allowed to go back to their

going to be allowed to go back to their homes.

>> Abu Alu, thank you so much uh for that update. Well, also as part of this plan,

update. Well, also as part of this plan, much more humanitarian aid is expected

much more humanitarian aid is expected to flow into Gaza. We understand that in

to flow into Gaza. We understand that in the first few days it should be 400

the first few days it should be 400 trucks a day. This is a moment that the

trucks a day. This is a moment that the United Nations has been working for. Tom

United Nations has been working for. Tom Fletcher is the UN's humanitarian chief.

Fletcher is the UN's humanitarian chief. He's been speaking to my colleague Amal

He's been speaking to my colleague Amal Rajan about what preparations are in

Rajan about what preparations are in place.

place. >> So the UN has a plan. There's been

>> So the UN has a plan. There's been unimaginable suffering in Gaza. Tens of

unimaginable suffering in Gaza. Tens of thousands killed including over 18,000

thousands killed including over 18,000 children. That's a child killed on

children. That's a child killed on average every hour for 2 years. And this

average every hour for 2 years. And this agreement's a real breakthrough. But the

agreement's a real breakthrough. But the real breakthrough will be when the

real breakthrough will be when the hostages are home. When children are

hostages are home. When children are fed. When they can sleep without terror

fed. When they can sleep without terror under a roof. When they're not bombed

under a roof. When they're not bombed and maimed. When they can be operated on

and maimed. When they can be operated on with anesthetics. when they can go back

with anesthetics. when they can go back to school, when families are reunited

to school, when families are reunited again. And so, we will deliver that

again. And so, we will deliver that plan. We've got a 60-day plan to get

plan. We've got a 60-day plan to get that aid in to save lives at huge, huge

that aid in to save lives at huge, huge scale. We have fought and beaten famines

scale. We have fought and beaten famines before, and we will do it again this

before, and we will do it again this time. How confident are you that the

time. How confident are you that the restrictions previously placed on aid

restrictions previously placed on aid deliveries by Israel who say that those

deliveries by Israel who say that those deliveries have been hijacked or

deliveries have been hijacked or vandalized, that those restrictions will

vandalized, that those restrictions will now be lifted?

now be lifted? So that's the big question for the

So that's the big question for the coming hours and days. And obviously

coming hours and days. And obviously we're in very close touch with the

we're in very close touch with the Israeli authorities uh in country to

Israeli authorities uh in country to make sure that those impediments, those

make sure that those impediments, those obstacles are now removed. We need all

obstacles are now removed. We need all the crossings open. We need safe routes

the crossings open. We need safe routes for our convoys. We need our people

for our convoys. We need our people protected. Hundreds of my colleagues

protected. Hundreds of my colleagues have been killed in the last two years.

have been killed in the last two years. We need the removal of red tape and

We need the removal of red tape and physical barriers. We need the power

physical barriers. We need the power back on to our bakeries, our hospitals,

back on to our bakeries, our hospitals, our water stations.

our water stations. It's a massive massive job ahead. We

It's a massive massive job ahead. We need access for our NGO colleagues and

need access for our NGO colleagues and partners as well. And as you say, we

partners as well. And as you say, we need the international media to get back

need the international media to get back in and tell the world what is happening

in and tell the world what is happening and hold us to account for saving lives.

and hold us to account for saving lives. >> What are your plans for increasing food

>> What are your plans for increasing food deliveries immediately?

deliveries immediately? >> So that's objective number one. We've

>> So that's objective number one. We've got to get high nutrition food in. We've

got to get high nutrition food in. We've got to get hundreds of truckloads

got to get hundreds of truckloads convoy. We need to overwhelm Gaza with

convoy. We need to overwhelm Gaza with food and generosity and aid and help

food and generosity and aid and help right now. We need to get food to 2

right now. We need to get food to 2 million people across the strip in every

million people across the strip in every part of Gaza, north and south. And we

part of Gaza, north and south. And we have those supplies prepositioned. We've

have those supplies prepositioned. We've got 172,000 metric tons of food,

got 172,000 metric tons of food, medicine, and tents all cleared, ready

medicine, and tents all cleared, ready to go in. The teams are on standby uh at

to go in. The teams are on standby uh at the crossings. The trucks are ready to

the crossings. The trucks are ready to roll. and we'll use our community

roll. and we'll use our community networks, our expertise, our experience

networks, our expertise, our experience to get that food where it is most

to get that food where it is most needed.

needed. >> That was Tom Fletcher there speaking a

>> That was Tom Fletcher there speaking a little bit earlier. The UN under

little bit earlier. The UN under secretary general for humanitarian

secretary general for humanitarian affairs. Uh my colleague Lee Ducet is in

affairs. Uh my colleague Lee Ducet is in Tel Aviv and Lee, I just wanted to ask

Tel Aviv and Lee, I just wanted to ask you um a very human question really in

you um a very human question really in that the people that you are speaking

that the people that you are speaking to, how would you describe their mood?

to, how would you describe their mood? What are they saying to you?

What are they saying to you? Oh, there's We've been speaking to

Oh, there's We've been speaking to people here in Hostages Square ever

people here in Hostages Square ever since the news came through that there

since the news came through that there was a deal. It did just to be approved

was a deal. It did just to be approved as it was uh last night. And the mood in

as it was uh last night. And the mood in this square just changed that suddenly

this square just changed that suddenly there was this hope, this cautious hope.

there was this hope, this cautious hope. But people still said that they there

But people still said that they there was still some disbelief. They've been

was still some disbelief. They've been let down so many times before. They know

let down so many times before. They know how deals like this can unravel, even

how deals like this can unravel, even though this one seems to be more solid

though this one seems to be more solid than efforts before. So, until their

than efforts before. So, until their loved ones are actually back in their

loved ones are actually back in their arms out of Gaza, out of captivity,

arms out of Gaza, out of captivity, they're not going to really breathe

they're not going to really breathe easily. But there's a more of a

easily. But there's a more of a lightness in this square. Of course, the

lightness in this square. Of course, the square, as we've often said, has become

square, as we've often said, has become a gathering place for the families of

a gathering place for the families of the hostages, those who are still in

the hostages, those who are still in captivity, those who've returned, their

captivity, those who've returned, their friends, and the growing number of

friends, and the growing number of supporters across Israel. We've just

supporters across Israel. We've just we've seen the the the opinion polls go

we've seen the the the opinion polls go up and up and up of the percentage of

up and up and up of the percentage of Israelis who have been saying uh month,

Israelis who have been saying uh month, it's time for the war to end. It's time

it's time for the war to end. It's time to bring Israeli hostages home. event

to bring Israeli hostages home. event all around the square there's the

all around the square there's the photographs of some of the 250 hostages

photographs of some of the 250 hostages who were taken in those horrific events

who were taken in those horrific events of October the 7th and there's one which

of October the 7th and there's one which has the last 48 20 still alive it's

has the last 48 20 still alive it's believed 28 they didn't survive their

believed 28 they didn't survive their captivity or they were uh killed on

captivity or they were uh killed on October uh the 7th and Hamas has been

October uh the 7th and Hamas has been saying they're not sure they can

saying they're not sure they can retrieve all of the remains but they

retrieve all of the remains but they certainly are trying to to find them but

certainly are trying to to find them but in the the rubble of of this, you know,

in the the rubble of of this, you know, rubble strewn streets of of the Gaza

rubble strewn streets of of the Gaza Strip. And we we heard um just a short

Strip. And we we heard um just a short time ago from Benjamin Netanyahu um who

time ago from Benjamin Netanyahu um who said that they are going to act now to

said that they are going to act now to locate all the kidnapped and fallen as

locate all the kidnapped and fallen as soon as possible in terms of the

soon as possible in terms of the hostages.

>> Yes. Um, they are going to do they're going to do their best. Prime Minister

going to do their best. Prime Minister Netanyahu is under huge pressure from

Netanyahu is under huge pressure from the right-wing members of his government

the right-wing members of his government who don't didn't want this deal to go

who don't didn't want this deal to go ahead. They voted against it. They're

ahead. They voted against it. They're warning they'll bring down his

warning they'll bring down his government. They didn't want some of the

government. They didn't want some of the prisoners released, those who are

prisoners released, those who are serving multiple uh life sentences. And

serving multiple uh life sentences. And so, there's a lot of the deal uh that

so, there's a lot of the deal uh that they're not happy with. But, of course,

they're not happy with. But, of course, if they they they do welcome the return

if they they they do welcome the return of the hostages. that is uh the nation

of the hostages. that is uh the nation as one has said they want the hostages

as one has said they want the hostages uh to come home and in that statement

uh to come home and in that statement prime minister Netanyahu warned Hamas

prime minister Netanyahu warned Hamas you know what Hamas is going to be

you know what Hamas is going to be expected to do going forward which is to

expected to do going forward which is to to disarm some of them to go into exile

to disarm some of them to go into exile if Israel has its way and warning that

if Israel has its way and warning that they'll do it either the easy way or the

they'll do it either the easy way or the hard way. So the pressure will continue

hard way. So the pressure will continue on this process and

on this process and >> and how much faith is there that

>> and how much faith is there that ultimately there will be enough US

ultimately there will be enough US commitment to see through the plan um

commitment to see through the plan um and ultimately that Hamas will disarm.

>> Well, it's a big question. The there is a monitoring commission uh 200 uh US

a monitoring commission uh 200 uh US troops are going to join it. There will

troops are going to join it. There will be members from the Arab states who have

be members from the Arab states who have played such a key role in moving this

played such a key role in moving this process forward including Egypt and

process forward including Egypt and Qatar who've been the main mediators uh

Qatar who've been the main mediators uh the UAE as well Saudi Arabia all of

the UAE as well Saudi Arabia all of these countries coming together which

these countries coming together which has been behind this this new momentum

has been behind this this new momentum and unprecedented momentum which has

and unprecedented momentum which has resulted in the deal we're seeing today

resulted in the deal we're seeing today the the ceasefire which has come into

the the ceasefire which has come into place the third ceasefire since the war

place the third ceasefire since the war began the last one uh broke down in

began the last one uh broke down in March when Israel pulled out of it

March when Israel pulled out of it saying that there were new terms for a

saying that there were new terms for a ceasefire and this has taken months and

ceasefire and this has taken months and months of protracted negotiations and it

months of protracted negotiations and it has been a month of deepening agony for

has been a month of deepening agony for the families and friends of the hostages

the families and friends of the hostages for the people in the Gaza Strip and

for the people in the Gaza Strip and they're daring to hope that this is the

they're daring to hope that this is the start of a chapter which will move them

start of a chapter which will move them forward and not back and we are seeing

forward and not back and we are seeing the the pictures both from hostage

the the pictures both from hostage square as you speak but also from within

square as you speak but also from within Gaza and the huge flow of people as uh

Gaza and the huge flow of people as uh people start to move. Um again, what are

people start to move. Um again, what are you hearing from those within Gaza?

you hearing from those within Gaza? Obviously, it's very difficult to to get

Obviously, it's very difficult to to get lines out from there, but again, the

lines out from there, but again, the hopes of so many will now be that they

hopes of so many will now be that they can get food, that they can get shelter,

can get food, that they can get shelter, that they can get security and peace.

>> Yes, we heard just from Tom Fletcher, the UN's humanitarian chief. It's the

the UN's humanitarian chief. It's the message that we hear from all of the

message that we hear from all of the agencies who've been struggling to work

agencies who've been struggling to work in the conditions of the Gaza Strip,

in the conditions of the Gaza Strip, including the restrictions placed by the

including the restrictions placed by the Israeli authorities. They're now hoping

Israeli authorities. They're now hoping that they will be able to operate more

that they will be able to operate more freely to get those initially. Uh some

freely to get those initially. Uh some of the 400 trucks in some of those

of the 400 trucks in some of those trucks will be humanitarian aid. Some

trucks will be humanitarian aid. Some will be commercial. And I know from

will be commercial. And I know from having visited the rougher crossing on

having visited the rougher crossing on the Egyptian side, there are thousands

the Egyptian side, there are thousands and thousands of lorries backed up with

and thousands of lorries backed up with those essential supplies just waiting to

those essential supplies just waiting to clear Israeli inspection so they can

clear Israeli inspection so they can enter into uh the Gaza Strip. We've also

enter into uh the Gaza Strip. We've also been hearing from Rushi Abu Aloo, our

been hearing from Rushi Abu Aloo, our correspondent who's in touch with people

correspondent who's in touch with people on the ground in Gaza and people who

on the ground in Gaza and people who yesterday were prevented from going

yesterday were prevented from going north along the coastal al-Rashid road,

north along the coastal al-Rashid road, the main Salahudin road is still

the main Salahudin road is still blocked. Now they're setting out today.

blocked. Now they're setting out today. those who still have some money to

those who still have some money to afford anything from a a a proper

afford anything from a a a proper vehicle to a donkey cart. Uh they're

vehicle to a donkey cart. Uh they're making their way uh with those uh means

making their way uh with those uh means of conveyance of most gazins if we've

of conveyance of most gazins if we've seen in those heart-rennding images,

seen in those heart-rennding images, including very old the elderly people

including very old the elderly people who've been weakened uh by months of

who've been weakened uh by months of living with so little food trying to

living with so little food trying to make uh the journey in the baking heat

make uh the journey in the baking heat without food and water along the way.

without food and water along the way. It's a long long journey 20 miles 20 km

It's a long long journey 20 miles 20 km to to the north and of course they're

to to the north and of course they're arriving hoping to see their homes and

arriving hoping to see their homes and finding that almost little is left but

finding that almost little is left but the but the point for them is to go home

the but the point for them is to go home no matter what is still there. Lee

no matter what is still there. Lee Ducet, thanks very much indeed. We'll be

Ducet, thanks very much indeed. We'll be back with you in a few moments. We're

back with you in a few moments. We're going to take a short break around the

going to take a short break around the world and across the UK. This is BBC

world and across the UK. This is BBC News.

You're joining us now in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv here as well in so many

in Tel Aviv here as well in so many places here and across the region

places here and across the region waiting to see this new the first phase

waiting to see this new the first phase of this ceasefire plan to to start

of this ceasefire plan to to start falling into place and most of all the

falling into place and most of all the humanitarian aspect of this new

humanitarian aspect of this new agreement. We can cross to Al-Muasi in

agreement. We can cross to Al-Muasi in southern Gaza Strip uh which has become

southern Gaza Strip uh which has become a humanitarian hub if you can call it

a humanitarian hub if you can call it that a tented city. We can join Tess

that a tented city. We can join Tess Ingram a spokesperson for UNICEF. Tess

Ingram a spokesperson for UNICEF. Tess Ingram, just tell us some of the

Ingram, just tell us some of the conditions now that you're working under

conditions now that you're working under in Al-Muasi.

in Al-Muasi. >> Incredibly crowded conditions. There are

>> Incredibly crowded conditions. There are so many people that have been displaced

so many people that have been displaced here over the last few weeks living in

here over the last few weeks living in really, really difficult conditions.

really, really difficult conditions. Lack of shelter, people under pieces of

Lack of shelter, people under pieces of tarpolan with very little to keep them

tarpolan with very little to keep them warm as winter approaches. Children

warm as winter approaches. Children walking through broken rubble without

walking through broken rubble without shoes, insufficient access to food and

shoes, insufficient access to food and water. And throughout all of that,

water. And throughout all of that, UNICEF is doing our best to respond. But

UNICEF is doing our best to respond. But like it has been throughout this

like it has been throughout this conflict, we've been restricted in what

conflict, we've been restricted in what we can bring in and and what areas we

we can bring in and and what areas we have access to. So we are pleased. We

have access to. So we are pleased. We really welcome this news of the

really welcome this news of the ceasefire and we hope that it will lead

ceasefire and we hope that it will lead to a scaling up of aid to help address

to a scaling up of aid to help address conditions here in Almoasi but across

conditions here in Almoasi but across the Gaza Strip.

the Gaza Strip. And are you seeing, Tess, that people

And are you seeing, Tess, that people are starting to move uh to go back to

are starting to move uh to go back to their homes if indeed they can along the

their homes if indeed they can along the lines permitted by the new Israeli

lines permitted by the new Israeli deployment lines.

deployment lines. There's a lot of excitement but also

There's a lot of excitement but also apprehension about that move around

apprehension about that move around people make wanting to make sure that

people make wanting to make sure that they're going to be safe if they do move

they're going to be safe if they do move but of course already beginning to pack

but of course already beginning to pack up their belongings because as people

up their belongings because as people told me when I was here during the

told me when I was here during the February ceasefire and again now home is

February ceasefire and again now home is home and they want to go back to their

home and they want to go back to their communities and their lands even if it

communities and their lands even if it has been reduced to rubble. But what is

has been reduced to rubble. But what is then critical is that the humanitarian

then critical is that the humanitarian response is there for them, providing

response is there for them, providing them with that shelter, with a tent,

them with that shelter, with a tent, with access to safe drinking water, with

with access to safe drinking water, with those shoes for their children. And

those shoes for their children. And that's going to be our focus in the

that's going to be our focus in the coming days is to follow the thousands

coming days is to follow the thousands of people as they move back to their

of people as they move back to their communities.

And do you have any sense as to how quickly the humanitarian aspect of this

quickly the humanitarian aspect of this new deal is going to come into force?

new deal is going to come into force? You may remember that um in the

You may remember that um in the ceasefire in January, the gates opened

ceasefire in January, the gates opened quite quickly and uh within no time at

quite quickly and uh within no time at all, hundreds of trucks were rumbling

all, hundreds of trucks were rumbling across the border. What's your sense

across the border. What's your sense this time?

this time? >> We're really hoping for the same based

>> We're really hoping for the same based on our understanding of of what has been

on our understanding of of what has been negotiated in this plan and presented by

negotiated in this plan and presented by the mediators. The UN is going to be at

the mediators. The UN is going to be at the heart of this humanitarian response.

the heart of this humanitarian response. And that's what we're being uh that's

And that's what we're being uh that's what we're working around is is to have

what we're working around is is to have the trucks ready to go. UNICEF has 1,300

the trucks ready to go. UNICEF has 1,300 trucks prepositioned outside of the Gaza

trucks prepositioned outside of the Gaza Strip ready to scale up our response. We

Strip ready to scale up our response. We have had trucks come in yesterday and

have had trucks come in yesterday and today, but we need to see that increase

today, but we need to see that increase as you say happen very quickly. Um

as you say happen very quickly. Um hopefully tomorrow or the next day we

hopefully tomorrow or the next day we can see that scale up meaningfully

can see that scale up meaningfully because the stakes here are really high.

because the stakes here are really high. We're talking about childrens whose

We're talking about childrens whose immune systems have been shattered.

immune systems have been shattered. Children who have gone years without

Children who have gone years without access to nutritious food. Um and of

access to nutritious food. Um and of course with winter approaching that

course with winter approaching that diseases will spread. Uh so that scaled

diseases will spread. Uh so that scaled up is is incredibly time critical or we

up is is incredibly time critical or we risk seeing continued children dying

risk seeing continued children dying from the humanitarian crisis on the

from the humanitarian crisis on the ground.

ground. >> Yes, of course it will be the immediate

>> Yes, of course it will be the immediate needs as you've been mentioning that

needs as you've been mentioning that have to be met first. But uh I suppose

have to be met first. But uh I suppose if if this calm holds, you perhaps can

if if this calm holds, you perhaps can begin to try to ease the trauma that all

begin to try to ease the trauma that all of the children of Gaza have experienced

of the children of Gaza have experienced and really cannot be cannot start to

and really cannot be cannot start to heal unless the bombing start stops

heal unless the bombing start stops unless that sound of the drone in the

unless that sound of the drone in the air goes away until the fear goes.

air goes away until the fear goes. >> Yeah, that's exactly right. I can still

>> Yeah, that's exactly right. I can still hear the drones now. for so for children

hear the drones now. for so for children the sound of a ceasefire the sound of

the sound of a ceasefire the sound of peace hasn't come true yet and and we do

peace hasn't come true yet and and we do really need that in order to address the

really need that in order to address the horrors that they've experienced over

horrors that they've experienced over more than two years now and I think it's

more than two years now and I think it's important for us to remember that in why

important for us to remember that in why this ceasefire must be sustained why

this ceasefire must be sustained why it's so critical children have been

it's so critical children have been disappointed before they've had a

disappointed before they've had a ceasefire be broken fall away in front

ceasefire be broken fall away in front of them and then endure more months of

of them and then endure more months of of loss and of of trauma and of fear. So

of loss and of of trauma and of fear. So if that happened again, that would be

if that happened again, that would be devastating for the mental health of

devastating for the mental health of children, all people in the Gaza Strip.

children, all people in the Gaza Strip. We need that peace and we need to be

We need that peace and we need to be able to scale up that mental health

able to scale up that mental health response here for children in Gaza to

response here for children in Gaza to begin to address uh what they have

begin to address uh what they have endured. It's just as important as the

endured. It's just as important as the shelter, the food, and the education

shelter, the food, and the education that we're going to provide to kids

that we're going to provide to kids here.

here. Tess Ingram from UNICEF, we wish you the

Tess Ingram from UNICEF, we wish you the best in your very challenging but so

best in your very challenging but so crucial work. Uh thank you for joining

crucial work. Uh thank you for joining us from Al-Masia. Must be a busy day for

us from Al-Masia. Must be a busy day for you today.

you today. >> Thank you.

>> Thank you. >> Well, let's hear reflections from a

>> Well, let's hear reflections from a resident of Gaza. So, we were hoped to

resident of Gaza. So, we were hoped to join two brothers together who've been

join two brothers together who've been separated by war. But for now, we're

separated by war. But for now, we're going to be joined by Ibrahim Isbeta.

going to be joined by Ibrahim Isbeta. He's a Palestinian who escaped Gaza uh

He's a Palestinian who escaped Gaza uh to get some specialized medical care for

to get some specialized medical care for his daughter. His brother Marwan is

his daughter. His brother Marwan is still in Al-Masi in the same that tented

still in Al-Masi in the same that tented camp where we were just speaking to uh

camp where we were just speaking to uh to Tess in Ingram. Uh Ibram, thank you

to Tess in Ingram. Uh Ibram, thank you very much for joining us here on BBC

very much for joining us here on BBC News.

News. Thank you so much for giving

Thank you so much for giving opportunity.

>> And we were still hoping to get your brother Marwan up on the line as well,

brother Marwan up on the line as well, but you must have been speaking to him,

but you must have been speaking to him, other members of your family. What have

other members of your family. What have they been sharing with you now that the

they been sharing with you now that the ceasefire has at last come into force?

ceasefire has at last come into force? >> Uh to be honest, they are still under

>> Uh to be honest, they are still under the trauma. They couldn't believe we

the trauma. They couldn't believe we have reached to this moment. Uh this

have reached to this moment. Uh this moment it's been delayed for two years.

moment it's been delayed for two years. been waiting this moment for a few

been waiting this moment for a few years. Uh I was my families I was

years. Uh I was my families I was specifically yesterday

under a very uh hard condition. I remember uh two weeks ago uh he flea

remember uh two weeks ago uh he flea city under a heavy fire after midnight

city under a heavy fire after midnight we stay like all night try to follow up

we stay like all night try to follow up with him till he reach to Alasi and they

with him till he reach to Alasi and they stay on the street. So right now we are

stay on the street. So right now we are very happy. Nobody care about what's the

very happy. Nobody care about what's the condition what whatever the

condition what whatever the circumstances but at least right now

circumstances but at least right now they can sleep safely after this uh

they can sleep safely after this uh devastating two years

>> and how hard will it be for your family if this ceasefire will help enormously

if this ceasefire will help enormously but as you know but I don't need to tell

but as you know but I don't need to tell you the level of destruction is also

you the level of destruction is also enormous. is going to continue to be a

enormous. is going to continue to be a huge challenge is it not?

huge challenge is it not? >> Uh it's going to be difficult uh because

>> Uh it's going to be difficult uh because we are specifically from Shaya

we are specifically from Shaya neighborhood. Uh right now since the

neighborhood. Uh right now since the morning they are saying that uh the

morning they are saying that uh the Israeli will not withdraw from uh our

Israeli will not withdraw from uh our neighborhood. So we are happy but at the

neighborhood. So we are happy but at the same time we are devastating about uh

same time we are devastating about uh okay this is a ceasefire but where

okay this is a ceasefire but where what's the future when we can put back

what's the future when we can put back to our land at least because our home

to our land at least because our home was at the beginning at the first phase

was at the beginning at the first phase of the at the first ceasefire it was

of the at the first ceasefire it was partly destroyed right now it's

partly destroyed right now it's completely destroyed uh so like we were

completely destroyed uh so like we were like spoken about when we put back and

like spoken about when we put back and then like uh some people say that our

then like uh some people say that our home is completely destroyed then right

home is completely destroyed then right now the news came that we he will not be

now the news came that we he will not be able to back to our houses. Uh so this

able to back to our houses. Uh so this like uh indeed we are happy it's over

like uh indeed we are happy it's over but still like what's the future? What's

but still like what's the future? What's coming next? We have no idea when we put

coming next? We have no idea when we put back because right now I was spoken with

back because right now I was spoken with him. I was spoke with my sister too when

him. I was spoke with my sister too when you were back they say that we couldn't

you were back they say that we couldn't because they say that the Israel tanks

because they say that the Israel tanks is in our neighborhood and at the at

is in our neighborhood and at the at this stage they will not withdraw from

this stage they will not withdraw from this area but at least they they will be

this area but at least they they will be sleep normal like any other people like

sleep normal like any other people like any other people around the world

any other people around the world without like in which way I'm going to

without like in which way I'm going to die I'm going to stay alive till

die I'm going to stay alive till tomorrow or I'm going to lose someone

tomorrow or I'm going to lose someone else at least now they have this sense

else at least now they have this sense to sleep well like any other people

to sleep well like any other people around the world.

>> And if I may, Ibrahim, I ask about your daughter who was treated for a heart

daughter who was treated for a heart condition in Dublin. How is she?

condition in Dublin. How is she? >> She's fine actually. You know, it's like

>> She's fine actually. You know, it's like a two uh joyful moment for me. I've been

a two uh joyful moment for me. I've been waiting this moment for a long time like

waiting this moment for a long time like after 13 years of going back going and

after 13 years of going back going and back from hospital from different area.

back from hospital from different area. At the beginning uh my daughter was

At the beginning uh my daughter was transferred out Gaza strip to do the

transferred out Gaza strip to do the surgery. She's supposed to do the

surgery. She's supposed to do the surgery in uh January 2023 but because

surgery in uh January 2023 but because of the war we couldn't access to the

of the war we couldn't access to the Jerusalem. So we like after 7 month of

Jerusalem. So we like after 7 month of the war we went to Egypt. I stayed there

the war we went to Egypt. I stayed there for one year tried to do the surgery

for one year tried to do the surgery there but I couldn't. Finally I got the

there but I couldn't. Finally I got the chance to be in Dublin to do the

chance to be in Dublin to do the surgery. Uh last week we did the surgery

surgery. Uh last week we did the surgery and thanks God it succeeded. Right now

and thanks God it succeeded. Right now she's in recovery mood but she's fine.

she's in recovery mood but she's fine. She kind of normal like any other girls.

She kind of normal like any other girls. Now she can go to school. Uh she can use

Now she can go to school. Uh she can use bike. She can walk. Uh and now I have

bike. She can walk. Uh and now I have her

her >> and I'm I'm sorry we're going to have to

>> and I'm I'm sorry we're going to have to bring this to an end but thank you very

bring this to an end but thank you very much uh for joining us with the sounds

much uh for joining us with the sounds of your daughter in the background. And

of your daughter in the background. And thank you very much for joining us as we

thank you very much for joining us as we continue our special coverage here on

continue our special coverage here on BBC News. Stay with us.

[Music] Heat.

You're with BBC News. I'm Casha Madiraa. We're continuing with our extended

We're continuing with our extended coverage of this initial phase of Donald

coverage of this initial phase of Donald Trump's overall peace plan for Gaza. So

Trump's overall peace plan for Gaza. So when I say initial phase because there

when I say initial phase because there are elements to this and at the moment

are elements to this and at the moment we are watching the ceasefire agreement

we are watching the ceasefire agreement that has been implemented

that has been implemented hold within the past hour and a two two

hold within the past hour and a two two hours and a half now we have had that

hours and a half now we have had that ceasefire a critical point because up

ceasefire a critical point because up until now we have actually seen up until

until now we have actually seen up until that ceasefire from 2 and a half hours

that ceasefire from 2 and a half hours ago We did see strikes into Gaza. So

ago We did see strikes into Gaza. So that is now in place. The IDF confirming

that is now in place. The IDF confirming that. And so this is why we can see this

that. And so this is why we can see this movement, this exodus of people moving

movement, this exodus of people moving up to the north of Gaza where

up to the north of Gaza where Palestinians will be trying to find what

Palestinians will be trying to find what is left of their homes. We know that so

is left of their homes. We know that so much of Gaza has been raised to the

much of Gaza has been raised to the ground, but still these people prefer to

ground, but still these people prefer to move back to be near to what is left to

move back to be near to what is left to their homes. Of course, this part of the

their homes. Of course, this part of the ceasefire plan is also in conjunction

ceasefire plan is also in conjunction with the release of the remaining

with the release of the remaining hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, 20

hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive, 28 who have

of whom are still alive, 28 who have deceased. And the remains,

deceased. And the remains, their remains will also be brought back

their remains will also be brought back to their families who have been waiting

to their families who have been waiting for so long for this moment.

for so long for this moment. As part of this, as part of this initial

As part of this, as part of this initial phase, we're also expecting the release

phase, we're also expecting the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians,

of nearly 2,000 Palestinians, 1,700 of whom have been held in Israeli

1,700 of whom have been held in Israeli prisons since Hamas's full scamas's

prisons since Hamas's full scamas's attack on Israel, the 7th of October,

attack on Israel, the 7th of October, 2023.

2023. And also there will be the release of

And also there will be the release of around 250 Palestinians who have been

around 250 Palestinians who have been held in Israeli prisons for much much

held in Israeli prisons for much much longer who have been accused of the

longer who have been accused of the murder of Israelis. So a very

murder of Israelis. So a very complicated

complicated part to this initial phase within that

part to this initial phase within that also we know that the IDF the Israeli

also we know that the IDF the Israeli Defense Force is also moving back to a

Defense Force is also moving back to a line that has been agreed. So they'll

line that has been agreed. So they'll still be in Gaza. They'll still occupy

still be in Gaza. They'll still occupy 20 53% of the Gaza Strip, but they are

20 53% of the Gaza Strip, but they are moving back. And so that's what we're

moving back. And so that's what we're witnessing unfold here as we monitor

witnessing unfold here as we monitor this live shot of the Gaza Strip,

this live shot of the Gaza Strip, central Gaza, as thousands of people

central Gaza, as thousands of people move back to the north. In addition to

move back to the north. In addition to all of this, aid will be released.

all of this, aid will be released. Authority has been granted. aid has been

Authority has been granted. aid has been allowed to move into Gaza. Desperately

allowed to move into Gaza. Desperately needed aid, not just food, which is

needed aid, not just food, which is really needed given the malnutrition,

really needed given the malnutrition, the starvation, but also medical aid as

the starvation, but also medical aid as well. So many of Gaza's hospitals also

well. So many of Gaza's hospitals also raised also in

raised also in a real difficult

a real difficult state, in real need and also tents as

state, in real need and also tents as well. so that people just be a are able

well. so that people just be a are able to put up some form of shelter. Now,

to put up some form of shelter. Now, what that we don't know is whether that

what that we don't know is whether that aid is already accessing Gaza. That is

aid is already accessing Gaza. That is still a little bit unclear. So there are

still a little bit unclear. So there are still many elements to what we're seeing

still many elements to what we're seeing as being unclear, but what we're

as being unclear, but what we're witnessing right now is just that

witnessing right now is just that initial implementation of the ceasefire

initial implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the first phase of a wider

agreement, the first phase of a wider plan in order to eventually hopefully

plan in order to eventually hopefully bring peace to Gaza. Now, a little bit

bring peace to Gaza. Now, a little bit earlier, my colleague Lee Ducet, our

earlier, my colleague Lee Ducet, our chief international correspondent. She

chief international correspondent. She spoke to our Gaza correspondent, Rushi

spoke to our Gaza correspondent, Rushi Abu Alu about the reports that he was

Abu Alu about the reports that he was hearing from contacts in Gaza. So, let's

hearing from contacts in Gaza. So, let's hear his answers. For the last an hour

hear his answers. For the last an hour and a half, we haven't heard any report

and a half, we haven't heard any report about Israeli air strike as thousands of

about Israeli air strike as thousands of people started to walk back into Gaza

people started to walk back into Gaza City since the Israeli army withdrawn

City since the Israeli army withdrawn its forces only from the beach road.

its forces only from the beach road. Well, Salah road the main one is still

Well, Salah road the main one is still still closed and people are not allowed

still closed and people are not allowed to leave it. It depends of how much

to leave it. It depends of how much money the people have. They can hire

money the people have. They can hire either a car or a donkey cart or a

either a car or a donkey cart or a bigger h backup car. But the majority of

bigger h backup car. But the majority of the people say that they are they don't

the people say that they are they don't have 4,000 shekel which is about 900

have 4,000 shekel which is about 900 pound to pay for this trip. So they walk

pound to pay for this trip. So they walk about 20 kilometers. I was speaking to a

about 20 kilometers. I was speaking to a teacher this morning. He was waiting

teacher this morning. He was waiting there and now he's walking in the middle

there and now he's walking in the middle of the of the crowd. He said that it is

of the of the crowd. He said that it is very very very difficult journey without

very very very difficult journey without water and food. People looks very tired,

water and food. People looks very tired, grim faces and they are working to after

grim faces and they are working to after the news from Gaza. They received this

the news from Gaza. They received this morning that the destruction is

morning that the destruction is something that Gaza never seen before.

something that Gaza never seen before. Especially the main three neighborhood,

Especially the main three neighborhood, the northern neighborhood of Shehardan,

the northern neighborhood of Shehardan, Sabra and Zetun area, about 90% of the

Sabra and Zetun area, about 90% of the homes and infrastructure is destroyed.

>> And under the new withdrawal plan for Israeli forces, those those lines

Israeli forces, those those lines protect quite a few Palestinians from

protect quite a few Palestinians from returning to what's left of their homes.

Well, 900,000 Palestinians will not be allowed to go back to their

allowed to go back to their neighborhoods during the first phase of

neighborhoods during the first phase of the ceasefire which no one know for how

the ceasefire which no one know for how long it will last. So the entire city of

long it will last. So the entire city of Rafa, all of the population of Rafa,

Rafa, all of the population of Rafa, about 200,000 people are staying in Al-

about 200,000 people are staying in Al- Moazi and they will continue to stay

Moazi and they will continue to stay there because no one is allowed to go

there because no one is allowed to go back to Rafa Hanu and Bah the two main

back to Rafa Hanu and Bah the two main places in northern Gaza are also out of

places in northern Gaza are also out of control,

control, still under Israeli control. No one will

still under Israeli control. No one will be allowed about a quarter of Gaza city

be allowed about a quarter of Gaza city west eastern neighborhoods half of

west eastern neighborhoods half of canunes and uh 10% of their bal so we

canunes and uh 10% of their bal so we are talking about 9,000 people in total

are talking about 9,000 people in total are not going to be allowed to go back

are not going to be allowed to go back to their homes.

to their homes. So, Rushi Abu Alu there, our Gaza

So, Rushi Abu Alu there, our Gaza correspondent who is currently based in

correspondent who is currently based in Istanbul in Turkey, just outlining still

Istanbul in Turkey, just outlining still the complexities

the complexities of what we're witnessing now because of

of what we're witnessing now because of course so much of Gaza has been reduced

course so much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble. When these tens of thousands

to rubble. When these tens of thousands of people that we're witnessing now make

of people that we're witnessing now make their way along this coastal road to the

their way along this coastal road to the north, they will find their homes

north, they will find their homes reduced to rubble. So, a difficult

reduced to rubble. So, a difficult situation, but tentatively we are seeing

situation, but tentatively we are seeing this initial ceasefire hold. critical in

this initial ceasefire hold. critical in order to get people

order to get people back to their homes so they can see what

back to their homes so they can see what they've lost, but also to get the

they've lost, but also to get the Israeli hostages out, to get them

Israeli hostages out, to get them returned because we know that that is so

returned because we know that that is so much what the families of those hostages

much what the families of those hostages have been aching for.

the Middle East because that is of course our main focus at the moment. And

course our main focus at the moment. And we are hearing that Israel's justice

we are hearing that Israel's justice ministry has published a list of 250

ministry has published a list of 250 prisoners who are expected to be

prisoners who are expected to be released in exchange for hostages who

released in exchange for hostages who are still held in Gaza as part of the

are still held in Gaza as part of the deal with Hamas. Um, a list that seems

deal with Hamas. Um, a list that seems to have emerged does not include the

to have emerged does not include the names of several senior Palestinian

names of several senior Palestinian militants seen as symbols of resistance,

militants seen as symbols of resistance, but names that Israel clearly uh does

but names that Israel clearly uh does not want to be released. um and uh Hamas

not want to be released. um and uh Hamas had called for those names. So that will

had called for those names. So that will no doubt have been very much part of the

no doubt have been very much part of the diplomatic negotiations that we have

diplomatic negotiations that we have seen.

seen. We'll keep you across all the

We'll keep you across all the developments around the world and across

developments around the world and across the UK. This is BBC News.

So we continue to monitor to that live scene from central Gaza as thousands of

scene from central Gaza as thousands of people are heading back to the north to

people are heading back to the north to see what's left of their homes as we

see what's left of their homes as we monitor this ceasefire. Now just an

monitor this ceasefire. Now just an update we've had from the

update we've had from the from Gaza the Hamas run health ministry

from Gaza the Hamas run health ministry and in terms of the numbers of killed

and in terms of the numbers of killed they say that 17 people were killed in

they say that 17 people were killed in the past 24 hours uh according to the

the past 24 hours uh according to the Hamasan health ministry its daily update

Hamasan health ministry its daily update adding that 71 people have been injured

adding that 71 people have been injured and

and this is important because obviously When

this is important because obviously When the Israeli cabinet when they ratified

the Israeli cabinet when they ratified this the ceasefire deal, when they

this the ceasefire deal, when they approved and voted for that deal, there

approved and voted for that deal, there was a little bit of confusion as to when

was a little bit of confusion as to when the ceasefire would be brought in. We

the ceasefire would be brought in. We thought that it would take effect

thought that it would take effect imminently. But then we waited and it

imminently. But then we waited and it wasn't until the IDF confirmed that the

wasn't until the IDF confirmed that the ceasefire was then in place from midday

ceasefire was then in place from midday local time. So, we're just approaching

local time. So, we're just approaching up to nearly 3 hours of this ceasefire

up to nearly 3 hours of this ceasefire that we we then were made aware that

that we we then were made aware that that was when the air strike stopped

that was when the air strike stopped because yesterday we saw relief. We saw

because yesterday we saw relief. We saw celebration. We saw just a sense of a a

celebration. We saw just a sense of a a real cautious hope, but hope

real cautious hope, but hope nevertheless that the bombing would

nevertheless that the bombing would stop. And then overnight we saw that the

stop. And then overnight we saw that the air strikes from Israel into Gaza. In

air strikes from Israel into Gaza. In that time we've had that update from the

that time we've had that update from the Hamas run health ministry that 17 people

Hamas run health ministry that 17 people were killed in the past 24 hours, 71

were killed in the past 24 hours, 71 injured.

injured. This brings the overall death toll since

This brings the overall death toll since the 7th of October 2023 to just over

the 7th of October 2023 to just over 67,000.

And we say the Hamas run health ministry, but we do know that the UN

ministry, but we do know that the UN says that those figures are pretty

says that those figures are pretty accurate. Potentially maybe even an

accurate. Potentially maybe even an underestimation.

underestimation. 67

67 211 people killed since October the 7th,

211 people killed since October the 7th, 2023 in Gaza.

2023 in Gaza. So a complicated situation there as we

So a complicated situation there as we maintain

maintain these images for you as we watch the

these images for you as we watch the ceasefire hold. And of course this will

ceasefire hold. And of course this will then enable it gives Hamas 72 hours in

then enable it gives Hamas 72 hours in which to gather the 20 remaining living

which to gather the 20 remaining living hostages. The remains of the 28 who were

hostages. The remains of the 28 who were deceased. 48 hostages in total still

deceased. 48 hostages in total still within Gaza. They will now be returned

within Gaza. They will now be returned to their loved ones. Their loved ones

to their loved ones. Their loved ones who have been waiting so patiently for

who have been waiting so patiently for this moment to happen. We don't know

this moment to happen. We don't know when it will happen. We don't know where

when it will happen. We don't know where it will happen. And there are still so

it will happen. And there are still so many unknown elements of this and we

many unknown elements of this and we don't know whether indeed all of the

don't know whether indeed all of the remaining deceased will be returned to

remaining deceased will be returned to their families because our understanding

their families because our understanding is that there are a number of the

is that there are a number of the remains of the deceased that are not

remains of the deceased that are not accounted for. So a really complicated

accounted for. So a really complicated situation, a difficult situation. But as

situation, a difficult situation. But as we stand, we are witnessing the first

we stand, we are witnessing the first hours of this ceasefire deal, of this

hours of this ceasefire deal, of this wider plan that has been pushed forward

wider plan that has been pushed forward by Donald Trump and his administration

by Donald Trump and his administration that has enabled us to reach this moment

that has enabled us to reach this moment where a ceasefire has held for nearly 3

where a ceasefire has held for nearly 3 hours now. We're just creeping up to

hours now. We're just creeping up to that 3-hour mark. Well, earlier my

that 3-hour mark. Well, earlier my colleague Lee Ducet spoke to Tess

colleague Lee Ducet spoke to Tess Ingram. Tess Ingram is from UNICEF, the

Ingram. Tess Ingram is from UNICEF, the Children's Arm of the United Nations.

Children's Arm of the United Nations. Tess is in Al-Moasi in southern Gaza.

Tess is in Al-Moasi in southern Gaza. One of those areas that were deemed a

One of those areas that were deemed a safe area by the IDF.

safe area by the IDF. Also, as we've been witnessing through

Also, as we've been witnessing through these past two years, an area that has

these past two years, an area that has also experienced

also experienced strikes as well. Tess describe to Lees

strikes as well. Tess describe to Lees the conditions that UNICEF are currently

the conditions that UNICEF are currently working in.

working in. >> Incredibly crowded conditions. There are