Israeli tanks were observed firing on a crowded coastal path near Deir al-Balah in Gaza on Thursday, shortly after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was announced. Reuters footage filmed at 0939 GMT shows explosions and smoke from tank shelling in close proximity to dozens of Palestinian civilians walking in the area.
The incident occurred just hours after US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of a peace plan aimed at pausing the two-year war in Gaza. The plan includes hostage releases, prisoner exchanges, partial Israeli troop withdrawals, and humanitarian aid deliveries.
While Israel’s government is expected to ratify the ceasefire later on Thursday, military operations in Gaza have reportedly continued, though at a reduced pace compared with previous weeks.
Immediate steps in phase one
Hamas has agreed to release the 20 Israeli hostages still believed alive, along with the remains of approximately 28 others who died during the October 7, 2023 attacks. Israel will free nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 others detained since the start of the war. High-profile Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti will not be part of the exchange.
Israel is set to partially redeploy its forces to a pre-agreed “yellow line” within 24 hours of government ratification. A minimum of 400 aid trucks will enter Gaza daily during the first five days, delivering food, medical supplies, and support to rebuild the territory’s devastated health infrastructure. Families displaced from southern Gaza will also be allowed to return to Gaza City and northern areas immediately.
