Israel orders army to stop Gaza bombing as world braces for huge breakthrough | World | News
Israel’s government has ordered its army to stop its military campaign in Gaza City, following a major breakthrough in peace talks. Hamas issued a statement on Friday night in which it said it was ready to accept parts of Donald Trump‘s Gaza plan.
The group has agreed to release all 48 remaining hostages and surrender governing power of the Gaza Strip. Hamas, though, called for negotiations on other points in the peace plan and did not indicate whether it was prepared to hand over its weapons. The US President welcomed Hamas’ decision and told Israel to “stop the bombing of Gaza” with immediate effect in a post to his Truth Social website.
Israeli army radio said on Saturday that operations in Gaza would be reduced to “the minimum”, while it concentrates on preparing for the implementation of the first phase of Trump’s peace plan.
However, the aerial bombardments appear to be ongoing in Gaza despite Trump’s demand.
Reports say fifteen people were killed and dozens more injured after an alleged Israeli airstrike on a residence housing more than 60 people along Jaffa Street in the al-Tuffah area of Gaza City.
Palestinians had been warned not to return to northern Gaza or Gaza City on Saturday by Israel‘s Army. Avichay Adraeev – an Arabic-language spokesperson for the IDF – cautioned that Israeli troops were still carrying out operations in those areas.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel was committed to ending the war, while opposition politician Yair Lapid said Trump’s plan was “a genuine opportunity” to secure the release of the remaining hostages and stop the fighting.
A Hamas delegation is expected to arrive in Cairo, Egypt on Saturday for talks on a ceasefire and hostage-release agreement.
Trump’s 20-point plan calls for an immediate end to fighting in Gaza; the release of the remaining 48 Israeli hostages being held in Gaza within 72 hours in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian political prisoners; the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; the disarmament of Hamas and a transitional authority of the strip led by Trump himself.
It also called for a surge of aid to Gaza to help relieve famine, and the reconstruction of the devastated strip.
The war in Gaza has killed at least 67,074 Palestinians and wounded about 170,00 – the majority of whom were civilians – according to the Gaza Health Authority.
Israel launched the war after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
