Gaza ceasefire goes into effect, what happens next? | World News - The Indian Express skip to contentAdvertisementIf completed, the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan would be followed by negotiations over later phases — though many of these points may prove contentious.By: Express Web Desk New Delhi,October 10, 2025 06:30 PM IST First published on: Oct 10, 2025 at 06:26 PM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookDisplaced Palestinians walk with their belongings past destroyed buildings as they return to their homes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, after Israel and Hamas agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)Troops have started withdrawing from parts of Gaza after the Israeli government approved the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire and hostage return deal.Under the agreement — first unveiled by Trump last week and signed following days of intense negotiations in Egypt — Israel now has 24 hours to withdraw to an agreed line within the Palestinian territory.Hamas will then have 72 hours to release all remaining Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, while Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian detainees.It comes just over two years after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage. The assault triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 67,100 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.What has been agreed?Now that the agreement has been formally approved by the Israeli cabinet, a ceasefire is meant to be in effect — though AP reports overnight suggest Israeli air strikes continued in some areas.Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli military strike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, after Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)Israeli ground forces have begun their withdrawal to an agreed line which, according to a spokesperson for the prime minister’s office, would leave Israel in control of 53% of Gaza. A map distributed by the White House last week indicates this will be the first of three stages of Israeli withdrawal.A map of Gaza shows how Israeli forces will withdraw under the first phase of the ceasefire plan while remaining in control of nearly 60% of the besieged Strip https://t.co/IT2sJ0gviY pic.twitter.com/WJRSRcMozL— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 9, 2025The Israeli military said on Friday that troops were in the midst of “adjusting operational positions.”Once this withdrawal is complete, a 72-hour countdown will begin for Hamas to release all 20 hostages believed to still be alive. The return of the bodies of 28 deceased hostages would follow, though the timeline remains unclear.Israel will then release about 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 detainees from Gaza, a Palestinian source told the BBC. The list submitted by Hamas before the agreement included several high-profile figures serving multiple life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis.One of the most prominent prisoners, Marwan Barghouti, will not be released as part of the swap, according to an Israeli spokesperson.Displaced Palestinians walk along the coastal road near Wadi Gaza in the central Gaza Strip, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, after Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)Israel will also return the bodies of 15 Gazans for the remains of each Israeli hostage, according to Trump’s plan.Hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid are set to start entering Gaza. A famine was declared in part of the territory back in August by UN-backed experts, who said that more than half a million people were facing “catastrophic” conditions characterised by “starvation, destitution and death.” Israel has repeatedly denied that starvation exists in Gaza.Trump’s plan specified that 600 truck loads of aid would be delivered each day, but Palestinian sources as quoted by BBC, said there would initially be a minimum of 400 daily, increasing gradually thereafter.Displaced Palestinians walk with their belongings past destroyed buildings as they return to their homes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, after Israel and Hamas agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)A multinational force of around 200 troops, overseen by the US military, will monitor the Gaza ceasefire, according to a senior US official, the BBC report added.The force’s composition is likely to include troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Their role will be to oversee and observe the ceasefire and “make sure there are no violations or incursions,” the official said.A second senior US official confirmed that no US forces would be stationed on the ground in Gaza.What happens next?If completed, the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan would be followed by negotiations over later phases — though many of these points may prove contentious.The proposal states that if agreed by both sides, the war would “immediately end.” It outlines that Gaza would be demilitarised, with all “military, terror and offensive infrastructure” destroyed.Most ReadIsraeli soldiers stand near their tanks along the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, after Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)Governance of Gaza would transition to a temporary committee of Palestinian technocrats supervised by a “Board of Peace,” chaired by Trump and involving former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Eventually, control would shift to the Palestinian Authority — once it undergoes reforms.Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, would play no future role in its governance, directly or indirectly, according to the plan. Its members would be offered amnesty if they commit to peaceful co-existence or safe passage to another country.No Palestinians would be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wished to do so could return. A “Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energise Gaza” would be established by a panel of experts.(With inputs from BBC, AP and Al Jazeera)AdvertisementAdvertisementLoading Taboola...SubscribeSign InJournalism of CourageTop CategoriesLATEST STORIESDelhi’s Festival of the Arts returns this weekend: A celebration of women, food, and creativityGaza ceasefire goes into effect, what happens next?Microsoft Copilot can now connect to services like Gmail, Google Drive, OneDrive and moreSolar Experience Center in Pune to nudge more homeowners towards transition to green energyRae Bareli lynching case: Main accused arrested after shootout with copsRam Gopal Varma confesses that he has finally understood the character of Shiva: ‘He doesn’t hate power, but he hates when it’s misused’‘From Rs 18 lakh to Rs 6 lakh a year, I can finally afford therapy within my salary’: Delhi HC allows Natco to manufacture Roche’s rare disease drugUPSC Key: India-UK relationship, Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, and National Red List Roadmap‘Slap SC/ST Atrocities Act on lawyer Rakesh Kishore who threw a shoe at CJI’: Maharashtra Congress‘Mohan and Muhammad’: In final book, Meghnad Desai leaves lasting reflection on Gandhi, Jinnah, and divisions that endureThe sound of azaan and temple bells ringing in tandem defined Madhya Pradesh. 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