Cease-Fire Holds in Gaza as Israel Pulls Back and Crowds Return to the North

Overview

• Israeli forces have repositioned to the agreed “yellow line,” retaining control of roughly 53% of Gaza and permitting northbound movement on Al-Rashid and Salah al-Din while cautioning that several areas remain dangerous.
• Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are streaming back toward Gaza City and other areas, with reports ranging from about 200,000 to more than 500,000, and responders are recovering bodies in devastated neighborhoods.
• Hamas says releases will begin Monday morning within the 72-hour timeline; Israel counts 48 remaining hostages with about 20 believed alive and has transferred 250 prisoners for exchange alongside roughly 1,700 detainees held since 2023.
• Uncertainty over the recovery of remains persists, with Turkey organizing a task force to help locate missing bodies in coordination with Israel, the United States, Qatar and Egypt.
• About 200 U.S. troops are deploying to Israel to monitor the truce and establish a civil–military coordination center, as mediators prepare a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday and thorny issues such as Hamas disarmament and Gaza’s governance remain unresolved.