The IDF welcomed Israel and Hamas's agreement on a Gaza deal, but noted that the military would remain "be ready for any scenario," in a statement released early Thursday morning.
"The IDF welcomes the reaching of an agreement for the return of the hostages, which was signed last night," the statement said. "During a situation assessment held last night, the Chief of Staff instructed all forces on all fronts to prepare strong defensive measures and be ready for any scenario."
At the same time, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered that preparations for the operation to return the hostages must be done with "sensitivity and professionalism."
However, an official military source told Walla: “At this stage, there is no ceasefire until instructions are issued by the political leadership.”
Residents of southern Israel and communities near Gaza reported hearing powerful explosions caused by ongoing IDF strikes. The army confirmed that artillery fire was being directed toward targets in Gaza City.
Around 2:30 a.m., the IDF destroyed a booby-trapped armored personnel carrier in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City.
Earlier, the Saudi newspaper Al-Hadath reported that, under the agreement, the ceasefire in Gaza is expected to take effect later in the afternoon.
The IDF continues to operate in the area of Gaza City and north of the Gaza Valley, IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned Gazan residents in a Thursday morning post to X/Twitter.
He urged them to "refrain from returning north or approaching areas where the IDF is stationed" until they are told otherwise.
Trump announces Gaza deal agreement
US President Donald Trump announced the deal overnight in a post on his Truth Social platform, stating that both Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first stage of his plan to end the Gaza war and bring the hostages home.
“I am very proud to announce that both Israel and Hamas have signed the first stage of our peace plan,” Trump wrote. “This means that all hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw its forces to an agreed line — as a first step toward strong, stable, and lasting peace.”
He added: “All sides will be treated fairly! This is a great day for the Arab and Muslim world, for Israel, for all neighboring countries, and for the United States of America.”
Later, in a Fox News interview, Trump said that the US would be involved in maintaining peace in Gaza.
“Gaza, we believe, is going to be a much safer place, and it’s going to be a place that reconstructs, and other countries in the area will help it reconstruct, because they have tremendous amounts of wealth, and they want to see that happen," Trump said, as reported by CNN.
“We’ll be involved in helping them make it successful and helping it stay peaceful,” the president added.