Gaza Civil Defense urges residents to stay away from Israeli vacated areas

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Gaza's Civil Defense service urged the residents of Gaza City on Friday to stay away from areas where Israeli forces are withdrawing from.

“We urge you not to approach or return to areas where occupation forces were present, particularly the border areas of Gaza City, until after an official announcement of the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces and confirmation of this by the relevant authorities,” the General Directorate of Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip said on Telegram.

The warning comes as the Israeli army, before beginning its phased pullback, reportedly conducted intense demolition and bombing operations across several neighborhoods, including Sheikh Radwan. The nearby tunnel area to the east also suffered widespread destruction, having already been targeted in previous operations.

The Israeli government approved an agreement to end the war in Gaza and exchange prisoners with Palestinian factions in a statement issued early Friday by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.

A ceasefire became effective immediately after Israel's approval, according to Israeli media.

The Israeli army began its gradual troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip on Friday and will complete its withdrawal to the locations specified in US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war on the Gaza Strip within 24 hours, Israeli media reported.​​​​​​​

Trump announced Wednesday that Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas agreed to the first phase of a 20-point plan he laid out on Sept. 29 to bring a ceasefire to Gaza, release all Israeli captives being held there in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire Gaza Strip.

A second phase of the plan calls for the establishment of a new governing mechanism in Gaza without Hamas’ participation, the formation of a security force comprising Palestinians and troops from Arab and Islamic countries, and the disarmament of Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it uninhabitable.