Tens of thousands of Palestinians were starting to walk north to return to their homes Friday, after the Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time and that troops were withdrawing to the agreed-upon deployment lines.

The announcement came after Palestinians reported heavy shelling Friday morning in northern Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said early Friday that Israel’s Cabinet approved President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of all remaining hostages and of Palestinian prisoners.

The statement said the Cabinet approved the “outline” of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial.

While the approval marks a key step toward

See Full Page