(NewsNation) — A ceasefire agreement in the war in Gaza came into effect Friday morning, the Israeli military announced.

The Israel Defense Forces announced the news on social media, writing that “The Ceasefire Agreement Came Into Effect at 12:00,” and adding that “Since 12:00, IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.”

The IDF said its troops would continue to “remove any immediate threat.”

Tens of thousands of people who had gathered in Wadi Gaza in central Gaza started walking north after the Israeli military’s announcement at noon local time. Beforehand, Palestinians reported heavy shelling in parts of Gaza throughout Friday morning, but no significant bombardment was reported after.

In a statement to the press, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated the success.

“Throughout the two years that have passed since the beginning of the war, I have promised to the families of the hostages – and also promised to you, the citizens of Israel – that we will return everyone, with no exceptions. We made that promise and we are keeping our promise,” he said.

He repeatedly credited military pressure with success, saying the campaign in Gaza had been necessary to ensure Hamas would release hostages. He also credited President Donald Trump for helping secure the deal.

“Hamas agreed to the deal only after the Trump Plan, which I agreed on with the President in Washington, isolated it diplomatically on an unprecedented scale. At the present stage of the plan, our focus is on releasing the hostages,” Netanyahu said.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the two sides had agreed to “the first phase” of a peace plan he outlined in September, paving the way for the release of an estimated 20 living hostages and relief for nearly 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel’s Cabinet had approved the framework of a deal to release all of the hostages in Hamas captivity. Trump said the hostages could be released as soon as Monday.

The ceasefire signals an end to Israel’s two-year war with Hamas, which broke out after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, in which Hamas killed nearly 1,200 people and took approximately 250 others hostage.

More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war that followed. Hundreds in Gaza have died from starvation, with the local health ministry saying last month that at least 440 people had died, including 147 children.

On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified in a social media post that “up to 200 U.S. personnel, who are already stationed at CENTCOM, will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel, and they will work with other international forces on the ground.”