Hamas security forces to deploy in Gaza after ceasefire takes effect

The Hamas-run interior authority said on Friday that its security forces will begin deploying in areas of the Gaza Strip from which the Israeli army withdraws after the ceasefire agreement comes into effect.

In a press statement, the authority said the deployment aims to restore public order and address the chaos left by the two-year war, which caused heavy casualties and widespread destruction across the Gaza Strip.

It "congratulates the Palestinian people on the agreement to end the war that lasted for two years," the authority said.

It added that the security forces will work to restore security and stability, urging residents to cooperate with the security personnel and adhere to safety instructions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israeli forces will remain in the Gaza Strip to maintain pressure on Hamas until the group disarms and the enclave is demilitarized. 

In a televised address a day after his government approved a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas, Netanyahu said the Israeli military "remains deep inside the strip and holds all the positions that control it."

The Israeli military announced earlier in the day that a ceasefire in Gaza had come into effect and its forces were withdrawing to the first of three withdrawal lines.

In a statement, the military said the truce began at noon, local time. "Troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines," it said.

"Troops in the Southern Command are deployed in the area and will continue to remove any immediate threat," the military added.

Hamas and Israel on Thursday reached a ceasefire agreement after three days of intensive negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and the United States.

The first phase of the peace plan includes the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza City, the north, Rafah, and Khan Younis, the opening of five crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages and prisoners.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Displaced Palestinians walk along the coastal road near Wadi Gaza in the central Gaza Strip, moving toward northern Gaza, Friday, October 10, 2025. /VCG)