GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held for a second day on Saturday, allowing tens of thousands of Palestinians to return to their devastated neighborhoods in Gaza. At the same time, Israelis anticipated the release of the remaining hostages expected on Monday.
“Gaza is completely destroyed. I have no idea where we should live or where to go,” said Mahmoud al-Shandoghli in Gaza City as bulldozers cleared the debris left by two years of war. Amid the ruins, a young boy climbed the rubble to raise a Palestinian flag.
In Tel Aviv, hundreds of thousands of Israelis gathered for what many hoped would be the final rally calling for the return of hostages. The crowd cheered U.S. President Donald Trump and his envoy Steve Witkoff, while some booed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“To the hostages themselves, our brothers and sisters, you are coming home,” Witkoff told the crowd. U.S. envoy Jared Kushner added that celebrations would take place Monday, when Israel’s military expects the 48 hostages still in Gaza to be freed. However, the government believes only about 20 remain alive. “It’s a really happy time, but we know that there are going to be some incredibly difficult moments coming,” said Yaniv Peretz, one of the participants.
Around 200 U.S. troops have arrived in Israel to help monitor the truce with Hamas. They will assist in establishing a center to coordinate humanitarian aid and logistical operations.
“This great effort will be achieved with no U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. Central Command.
According to the Egyptian presidency, President Trump is set to co-chair a peace summit in Egypt on Monday, focusing on Gaza and the broader Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macron is also expected to attend.
A copy of the signed ceasefire agreement, obtained by the Associated Press and verified by two officials, outlines that Hamas must provide information about the bodies of hostages not released within 72 hours, while Israel must share details about deceased Palestinians from Gaza held in Israel. The information exchange will be facilitated by mediators and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which will also oversee the exhumation and handover of remains.
Under the terms of the deal, Israel will release about 250 convicted Palestinian prisoners and around 1,700 detainees from Gaza held without charges over the past two years. The Israel Prison Service confirmed that prisoners have already been transferred to deportation facilities at Ofer and Ktzi’ot prisons, “awaiting instructions from the political echelon.”
Humanitarian organizations have urged Israel to reopen additional border crossings to allow food and aid into famine-stricken Gaza. A U.N. official confirmed that Israel has approved expanded aid deliveries starting Sunday. The World Food Program (WFP) announced readiness to restore 145 food distribution points, compared to 400 before the full closure of Gaza last March. Currently, 170,000 metric tons of food aid are positioned in neighboring countries, awaiting entry clearance.
Questions persist about who will govern Gaza once Israeli forces complete their withdrawal and whether Hamas will comply with the disarmament requirement stated in the ceasefire. Netanyahu has warned that Israel could resume its offensive if Hamas fails to surrender its weapons, emphasizing that the next phase will focus on “Hamas’ disarmament.”
In Gaza, the full extent of destruction is still emerging. Officials at Shifa Hospital reported receiving 45 bodies recovered from the rubble in the past 24 hours, many missing for up to two weeks.
Trump’s 20-point postwar plan envisions Israel maintaining a long-term military presence along Gaza’s borders while an international peacekeeping force composed mainly of Arab and Muslim nations oversees internal security. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has called for this deployment to be authorized by the U.N. Security Council.
The Israeli military confirmed it continues to operate “defensively” from about half of Gaza’s territory, where troops remain after partial withdrawals.
Witkoff told Israeli officials that the United States will set up a coordination center in Israel to oversee Gaza-related issues until a permanent government is formed.
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages, has left more than 67,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry affiliated with Hamas does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but estimates that around half of the victims were women and children.
The conflict has fueled regional instability, mass protests, and accusations of genocide that Israel strongly denies.
As the truce continues to hold, both sides and the world await Monday’s developments that could mark a turning point in the region’s long and painful conflict.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
