Hamas and Israel implemented the ceasefire at noon on Friday, ending months of fierce combat in Gaza. Israeli warplanes, however, launched new air raids along Lebanon s southern border regions less than an hour after the truce took effect, targeting what its military has called Hezbollah-linked facilities.
The raid has sparked fears of the spread of the war outside Gaza, as Lebanon remains at high alert with fears of escalation along its southern border.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, the ceasefire brought brief relief to war-weary Palestinians. Thousands of displaced residents were seen returning to the ruins of their homes, gathering whatever belongings they could from the rubble. Israeli troops have reportedly started repositioning according to the new demarcation lines established under the ceasefire agreement.
US Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has confirmed that Israel had finished the first stage of its withdrawal, the start of a 72-hour window to hand over the hostages as part of the truce agreement.
In a statement made jointly, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine reaffirmed that Gaza s administration is an exclusively internal Palestinian matter. They praised Arab and international aid for Gaza s reconstruction but refuted any kind of foreign control over its management.