Washington: US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Friday that the 72-hour period for the release of Israeli captives in Gaza has officially begun, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

According to Anadolu Agency, CENTCOM has confirmed that the Israeli Defense Forces completed the first phase withdrawal to the yellow line at 12 PM local time, which marks the official start of the 72-hour countdown for the release of the hostages. Envoy Witkoff shared this update through the US social media platform X.

The ceasefire plan, orchestrated under US President Donald Trump's administration, mandates Hamas to release 20 hostages and return the bodies of 28 deceased captives within the designated timeframe. The agreement acknowledges potential difficulties in locating the bodies of the deceased, posing a significant challenge to the execution of these terms.

In return for the release of Israeli hostages, Israel has agreed to free 250 Palestinian prisoners who are serving life sentences, along with 1,700 detainees who were apprehended in Gaza since October 7, 2023.