JERUSALEM, Oct 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Israel has lifted the state of emergency for areas near the border with Gaza for the first time since Hamas's October 2023 attack, Defence Minister Israel Katz announced Monday.

"I have decided to adopt the (Israeli military's) recommendation and to lift, for the first time since October 7, the special state on the home front," a statement from Katz's office said.

The decision "reflects the new security reality in the south of the country" and comes as a ceasefire that began on October 10 largely continues to hold.