The official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported on Tuesday evening that the Israeli occupation army is preparing for a "gradual withdrawal" from the Gaza Strip with the entry into force of an expected ceasefire agreement, and indicated that it "may take a week to dismantle its positions in the Netzarim axis in the center of the Strip."

In a report on Tuesday evening, the Authority said that "meetings and assessments of the situation took place in the Southern Command of the Israeli army during the last 24 hours in preparation for a gradual withdrawal from the Strip with the start of the ceasefire agreement."

Quoting an unnamed security source, she said, "The Israeli army is preparing to withdraw from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing shortly after the deal is signed."

According to the same source: "The Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor (on the border between Gaza and Egypt) was coordinated with Israeli, Egyptian and American security officials."

The Authority stated that "the army will withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor during the first days after signing the deal with Hamas."

But she said the army "may take a week to dismantle its positions and infrastructure it has built in the Netzarim axis in central Gaza."