Gaza City residents set to return as Israel says ceasefire has started

Al-Ahli Hospital tells Al Jazeera that seven bodies have been recovered after Israeli attack helicopters swoop east of Gaza City.

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Palestinians begin returning to Gaza's north as Israel says ceasefire now in effect

(Al Jazeera) Palestinian families have begun returning to decimated Gaza City, as Israel continued deadly attacks on the enclave until the Israeli military said the first phase of the ceasefire deal went into effect at 12:00pm (09:00 GMT).

According to a military update on Friday, the Israeli Army "positioned themselves in the latest deployment lines, in accordance with the outline of the ceasefire agreement". The Israeli forces "in the Southern Command are deployed in the area and will continue to operate to eliminate any immediate threat", it added.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have now been making the long and pained journey toward northern Gaza after the ceasefire took effect.

Earlier, as displaced families from the southern parts of the enclave moved north on Friday, Israel launched a deadly attack from helicopters on a site east of Gaza City and conducted air attacks in the southern Khan Younis area, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.