Gaza ceasefire: Israeli troops withdraw as Hamas prepares to release hostages

“Say his name, Barack,” said a Republican politician about the apparent snub.

It comes as a ceasefire has come into effect in Gaza.

Early on Friday morning, local time, Israel declared hostilities had now stopped. Israeli Defence Forces have left Gaza City to new lines outside populated areas.

Hamas now has 72 hours to release the remaining hostages, thought to be about 20, and the remains of deceased hostages. In return, Israel will releases around 1000 Palestinian prisoners.

The US has confirmed that 200 troops will be moved to Israel to help with a huge humanitarian push into the war torn strip of land.

US President Donald Trump is expected to depart on Sunday for Egypt to officially sign a Gaza peace plan. He is then expected to fly to Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who he pushed into accepting the ceasefire.

The peace process is fragile, however. The Trump plan, which has elements of a French and Saudi plan, involves 20 steps of which only the first few are now in train. Some of the other steps, such as whether Hamas will lay down its arms and who will govern Gaza, are still up in the air.

After Israeli troops left Gaza City on Friday, Hamas security forces appeared on the streets brandishing gun. It vividly showed that elements of the militant group remain in place despite Israeli’s two year bombardment.

Obama called out

Praise of Donald Trump has come in from world leaders and senior politicians including Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

She said the ceasefire an “extraordinary achievement” from the “only leader who could have got Benjamin Netanyahu to agree” to the ceasefire.

In a social media post, former US President Barack Obama also hailed the ceasefire calling it a “relief” that “after two years of unimaginable loss,” the conflict could be on the way to ending and the hostages returned.

“More than that, though, it now falls on Israelis and Palestinians, with the support of the US and the entire world community, to begin the hard task of rebuilding Gaza — and to commit to a process that, by recognising the common humanity and basic rights of both peoples, can achieve a lasting peace,” Mr Obama said.

The president’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr quickly replied to the post.

“I’ll finish it for you. ‘Thank you, Donald Trump,’” he wrote.

Florida Republican Congressman Greg Steube also criticised Mr Obama.

“You just can’t do it. You can’t bring yourself to say Trump’s name or give him any credit,” he wrote on X.

“The fact is President Trump has been cleaning up yours and Biden’s Middle East messes since the day he arrived in Washington.

“Say his name, Barack!”