The Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement had been activated at noon local time (8pm AEDT).

Palestinians walk along a street amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City on Friday. Source: EPA / Mohammed Saber

Israel’s government ratified the ceasefire with Hamas in the early hours of Friday, clearing the way to partially pull back troops and fully suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours.

The first phase of US President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from some of Gaza’s major urban areas, though they will still control roughly half of the enclave’s territory.

“If this is achieved the easy way then that will be good, and if not then it will be achieved the hard way,” he said.

Israeli forces pull out of Gaza positions

As the day wore on and it became clear troops were no longer blocking the roads into cities, an initial trickle turned into a flood of Palestinians returning from makeshift tented camps to the homes they had left behind.

Displaced Palestinians return to their homes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on 10 October. Source: AP / Jehad Alshrafi

“As soon as we heard the news of the truce and ceasefire, we were very happy and got ready to go back to Gaza City, to our homes. Of course, there are no homes — they’ve been destroyed,” Mahdi Saqla, 40, said.

Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin urged residents of Gaza to avoid entering areas under Israeli military control: “Keep to the agreement and ensure your safety,” he said on Friday.

The Hamas-run interior ministry said it would deploy security forces in areas where the Israeli army withdrew. It was not clear whether armed militants would return to the streets in significant numbers, a move Israel would see as a provocation.

Trump to visit Israel, possibly Egypt

Axios, citing four sources with knowledge of the matter, reported on Friday that he plans to convene world leaders for a summit on Gaza while in Egypt.