Israel-Hamas ceasefire highlights: 3 Israeli hostages, 90 Palestinian prisoners freed on day 1

The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday with the Palestinian militant outfit releasing three Israeli hostages on the first day of the truce deal. The three women stepped out of Gaza after being held captive for 471 days.

Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher returned to their beloved families as Hamas kept its end of the bargain.

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Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza began preparing to return to what was left of their homes. The families that fled their homes are preparing to trek back to whatever remains and to reunite with their relatives who stayed behind.

Israeli military's bombardment after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas left 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.3 million residents displaced.

Emotional Palestinians embraced each other and expressed joy as Israel released prisoners as part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

According to Al Jazeera, amid the celebrations of prisoners being released from Israeli prison, at least two Palestinians were injured by bullets from Israeli forces.

US President-elect Donald Trump, on the eve of his inauguration, vowed to “stop the chaos in the Middle East”.

He also took credit for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. “We achieved an epic ceasefire agreement as a first step towards lasting peace in the Middle East. This agreement could have happened only as a result of our historic victory in November,” he added.

The World Health Organisation said that it needs "systematic access" across Gaza to be able to pour in the much-needed aid into the territory amid the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the ceasefire, posting on social media that it would "bring great hope for millions of people whose lives have been ravaged by the conflict".

But he added that "addressing the massive health needs and restoring the health system in Gaza will be a complex and challenging task, given the scale of destruction, operational complexity and constraints involved".

"WHO will need conditions on the ground that allow systematic access to the population across Gaza, enabling the influx of aid via all possible borders and routes, and lifting restrictions on the entry of essential items," the agency said in a statement.

United Nations humanitarian officials have said that over 630 trucks of humanitarian aid have entered the Gaza Strip as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

In a post on X, Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs said that over 630 trucks entered Gaza on Sunday, with at least 300 of them bringing humanitarian assistance into the north.

“There is no time to lose,” Fletcher wrote. “After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering.”

Cheers, chantings and honking of car horns was seen by AFP journalists as two buses carrying the released Palestinian prisoners from an Israeli jail arrived in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia early on Monday.

The buses held some of the 90 prisoners released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal that began Sunday and saw three Israeli hostages freed by Hamas. Members of the crowd climbed atop the lead bus and unfurled a Hamas flag, the agency reported.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire Live: The Israeli Prison Service announced on Monday that 90 Palestinian prisoners were released as part of a prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire Live: Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, credited President-elect Donald Trump’s administration and Israel’s efforts against Hamas for the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Sunday. He stated that Hamas realised they were isolated in their fight, and Trump’s involvement in pushing for a deal played a key role in bringing about the truce.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire Live: President-elect Donald Trump's incoming national security advisor has said the US has assured Israel that if Hamas runs afoul of a Gaza ceasefire deal, “we will be with them.” Michael Waltz said on CNN's “State of the Union” that trust and confidence is why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “felt comfortable pushing this through his government.”

Israel-Hamas ceasefire Live: US President Joe Biden on Sunday said that “the guns in Gaza have gone silent” under a ceasefire deal he outlined in May, with hostages being released. He added that it now falls to the next administration to help implement this agreement.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire Live: The first three hostages released from Gaza have arrived in Israel, the military announced on Sunday, hours after the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect. Their mothers were present to meet them. Footage showed the three women walking towards Red Cross vehicles in Gaza City, surrounded by a crowd that swelled into the thousands, with people holding up cellphones and scrambling onto cars. The vehicles were escorted by masked, armed men wearing green Hamas headbands, who struggled to secure the handover. (AP)

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: “The release of three hostages today is wonderful and long-overdue news after months of agony for them and their families. Among them is British citizen Emily Damari, who will now be reunited with her family, including her mother Amanda who has never stopped her tireless fight to bring her daughter home. I wish them all the very best as they begin the road to recovery after the intolerable trauma they have experienced. We stand ready to offer assistance and support,” said UK PM Keir Starmer.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: "All parties must adhere to it. Peace is the only way forward," European Council Chief Antonio Costa wrote on X.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: US President Joe Biden, on the last full day of his presidency, welcomed the Gaza truce, saying that ‘after so much pain, death and loss of life, today the guns in Gaza have gone silent.’

"Now the region has been fundamentally transformed," Joe Biden said.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: The Israel-Hamas ceasefire kicked in on Sunday, with the Palestinian militant group releasing two Israelis and a British-Israeli national – all women – who were among 251 people abducted by it on October 7, 2023.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the release of Romi Gonen (24), Doron Steinbrecher (31) and Emily Damari (28), a dual national of Britain and Israel. Read more

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: "I would like to thank the Indian government for supporting our right for self-defence and we specially appreciate the overwhelming support of the Indian people," Azar said in a video released by the Israeli embassy.

"The ceasefire Israel signed off to is a first phase of a gradual deal which has the potential of bringing back our hostages and also making sure Hamas won't be ever able to massacre Israelis like it did on October 7," the Israeli ambassador said.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: “The government of Israel embraces the three returnees. The government of Israel is committed to returning all of the hostages and the missing," the office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, according to the Times of Israel.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: Outgoing US President Joe Biden will give a speech at 10:30 a.m. ET (9 pm IST) on the ceasefire and hostage release deal currently being implemented in Gaza, the White House said.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: “According to information received from the Red Cross, 3 Israeli hostages were transferred to the Red Cross and they are on their way toward IDF and ISA forces in Gaza,” tweets IDF.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Live: The first three hostages have been reportedly handed over to the Red Cross, with The Times Of Israel reporting that Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher are seen walking unaided.