by Emanuel Fabian at The Times of Israel
IDF says ready to manage simultaneous release of all 20 living captives if Hamas frees them together; IDF to retain control of 53% of Gaza following retreat after deal is ratified
Israeli officials on Thursday set out the process by which the military will pull back its troops in Gaza, and then handle the subsequent release of hostages, once the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan for peace in Gaza goes into effect.
The Israeli government was convening on Thursday evening to officially ratify the Gaza hostage release and ceasefire agreement, after which the Israel Defense Forces would begin to pull back troops in the Strip, the officials said.
Within 24 hours of the government’s approval, the IDF is expected to retreat to agreed-upon deployment lines, which will see the army remain in control of just over half of the Strip’s territory, or 53 percent — most of which is outside of urban areas.
The IDF will retain control of a buffer zone along the entire Gaza border, including the Philadelphi Corridor — the Egypt-Gaza border area — along with Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya in the Strip’s far north, a ridge on the eastern outskirts of Gaza City, and large portions of Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the officials said.
Within 72 hours of the IDF’s retreat,…
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