Live: Israel dropped 153 tonnes of bombs on Gaza on Sunday
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A United Nations rapporteur on Friday said an Israeli attack on south Lebanon on 13 October 2023, that killed a Reuters journalist and wounded others including two from AFP was a war crime.
Morris Tidball-Binz, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, told a press conference in Beirut that it was "a premeditated, targeted and double-tapped attack from the Israeli forces, a clear violation, in my opinion, of IHL (international humanitarian law), a war crime".
The attack killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah and wounded six others including AFP's Dylan Collins and Christina Assi, who had to have her right leg amputated. The Israeli military has denied it targets reporters.
Reporting from AFP
Gaza’s Government Media Office has called for a war crimes probe to begin immediately in the wake of the announcement of the ceasefire.
According to Al Jazeera, it asked for "the international community, the United Nations, all international and legal organisations, and the International Criminal Court to hold the leaders of Israel accountable and to not grant them any political or legal immunity".
The media office said it wanted: "The formation of an independent international committee to investigate war crimes and genocide and ensure the return and compensation of all displaced people."
The first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza has taken effect, with a prisoner exchange now set to follow in the coming days.
At 12pm local time, the truce began, with Israeli tanks pulling back from al-Rashid Road, which runs from Gaza's north to south.
The next stage of the agreement, the prisoner exchange, is scheduled to take place on Monday at midday, 72 hours after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas officially began.
It will include the release of the estimated 20 living captives, as well as several bodies of dead Israelis held in Gaza, believed to be 28 others.
In exchange, Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and hundreds of men, women and children seized from Gaza and held without charge.
Read more: The six high-profile Palestinian prisoners being negotiated over
The US benchmark oil contract, WTI, traded under $60 per barrel on Friday after a ceasefire in Gaza came into effect and as the market is weighed by greater supply.
West Texas Intermediate slid 2.8 percent to $59.78 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, tumbled 2.7 percent to $63.47.
Reporting by AFP
The US military confirmed on Friday that Israeli forces had completed the first phase of their withdrawal from Gaza, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Central Command "confirmed that Israeli armed forces completed their withdrawal to the 'yellow line' at 12:00 local time," US envoy Steve Witkoff said on X.
"The 72-hour period for the release of the hostages [Israelis held in the Gaza Strip] has begun."
Search and rescue teams in Gaza recovered at least 35 bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the early hours following the military’s withdrawal from most urban areas on Friday morning.
The majority of the bodies were found in Gaza City, which had been the focus of intensified Israeli air strikes in recent weeks.
After troops pulled back from parts of the city, residents reported widespread destruction across entire residential blocks.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza, described “massive destruction” across the besieged enclave during on-ground inspections.
He warned that ordnance and explosive robots remain in the area, urging civilians to stay clear of such objects as they pose a serious danger to life.
Read more: Palestinians recover bodies and survey destruction after Israeli withdrawal
Israeli forces have killed at least 17 Palestinians and wounded 71 others in Gaza in the past 24 hours, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed a total of 67,211 Palestinians, and 169,961 others have been wounded since October 2023, the ministry said.
Israeli forces shelled areas across the Gaza Strip on Friday, despite a ceasefire taking effect following the approval of a deal by both Israel and Hamas to "end the war".
The truce officially began in the early hours of Friday, after receiving final approval from the Israeli government.
However, air strikes, artillery fire and gunshots were reported in Gaza City and Khan Younis on Friday morning.
Israeli Army Radio on Friday announced that the interior ministry in Israel has published the names of 250 Palestinian captives who will be released as part of the ceasefire agreement.
The report said that 100 of these Palestinians held in prisons will be allowed to leave for the West Bank, and five will head to Jerusalem.
As Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of the US-backed ceasefire deal, the Israeli military announced it had begun preparations to “partially” pull back troops.
According to the initial stages of the deal, Israel will withdraw to a designated line, and Hamas will release around 20 living captives, along with the bodies of about 25 others.
Israeli forces on Friday conducted strikes on the return route for displaced Palestinians in Gaza despite the ceasefire, Anadolu news agency reported.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians headed towards Gaza City via Rashid Street after the ceasefire was announced. Israeli tanks were also filmed withdrawing from an area near the Jordanian Hospital in southern Gaza City.
The interior ministry in Gaza on Friday said it will begin restoring order in the areas from which Israeli forces have withdrawn, urging citizens to be careful.
In a statement, the ministry said that Israeli forces continue to block the road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip.
"We call on citizens to be careful before the ceasefire comes into effect, to ensure their safety," the statement said.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians on Friday headed towards Gaza City via Rashid Street after the ceasefire was announced, Al Jazeera reported.
Israeli tanks were also filmed withdrawing from an area near the Jordanian Hospital in southern Gaza City.
As Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of the US-backed ceasefire deal, the Israeli military announced it had begun preparations to “partially” pull back troops.
According to the initial stages of the deal, Israel will withdraw to a designated line, and Hamas will release around 20 living captives, along with the bodies of about 25 others.
Israel is also expected to release around 2,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
Several Israeli tanks were filmed withdrawing from an area near the Jordanian Hospital in southern Gaza City on Thursday.
As Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of the US-backed ceasefire deal, the Israeli military announced that it had begun preparations to “partially” pull back troops.
According to the initial stages of the deal, Israel will withdraw to a designated line, and Hamas will release around 20 living captives, along with the bodies of about 25 others.
Israel is also expected to release around 2,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday said that Israeli forces will remain in Gaza to exert pressure on Hamas until the group disarms, Reuters news agency reported.
Netanyahu also said that all captives will return in the coming days.
Israeli forces shelled areas across the Gaza Strip on Friday, despite a ceasefire taking effect following the approval of a deal by both Israel and Hamas to "end the war".
The truce officially began in the early hours of Friday, after receiving final approval from the Israeli government.
However, air strikes, artillery fire and gunshots were reported in Gaza City and Khan Younis on Friday morning.
The Israeli army's 401 Brigade on Friday withdrew from the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 reported.
Earlier in the day, Israeli forces began withdrawing from Gaza City and Al-Shati refugee camp towards the agreed-upon line, the Walla news organisation reported.
Israel's regular 7th Brigade withdrew from the Gaza Strip, but the forces will be deployed at several checkpoints, the report said.
The Israeli army also withdrew combat units from the Golani Brigade and other forces from the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces shelled areas across the Gaza Strip on Friday, despite a ceasefire taking effect following the approval of a deal by both Israel and Hamas to "end the war".
The truce officially began in the early hours of Friday, after receiving final approval from the Israeli government.
However, air strikes, artillery fire and gunshots were reported in Gaza City and Khan Younis on Friday morning.
The interior ministry in Gaza on Friday said it will begin restoring order in the areas from which Israeli forces have withdrawn, urging citizens to be careful.
In a statement, the ministry said that Israeli forces continue to block the road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip.
"We call on citizens to be careful before the ceasefire comes into effect, to ensure their safety," the statement said.
The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, on Friday said the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas must mark a turning point, calling on stakeholders to carry out the planned releases of captives with dignity and safety.
"ICRC teams in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank will support its implementation by helping to return hostages and detainees to their families. We are also ready to help return human remains so families can mourn their loved ones with dignity," he said.
"Our teams are prepared to bring more lifesaving aid into the Gaza Strip and distribute it safely to those most in need," he added.
"The coming days are critical. I urge the parties to hold to their commitments. Release operations must be carried out safely and with dignity. Humanitarian assistance must resume urgently at full capacity and be delivered to people safely wherever they are. The ceasefire must hold. Lives depend on it," Spoljaric said.
