A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal.

Hamas released three Israeli hostages and Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, on the first day of a ceasefire suspending a 15-month-old war that has devastated the Gaza Strip and inflamed the Middle East.

A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took effect on Sunday as Hamas released the first three female hostages it held for 15 months of the devastating war

Building on its strong mandate and longstanding presence, and initially drawing on its built-in emergency capacity, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) swiftly adjusted and scaled up its response to address new needs in Israel and Gaza.

leaving the Palestine Red Crescent Society teams in Gaza delivering lifesaving aid with much reduced resources. Beatrice Butsana-Sita, chief executive British Red Cross, says: "Before the conflict around 500 trucks were arriving in Gaza every day.

By Mohammed Salem, Nidal al-Mughrabi and James Mackenzie GAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Palestinians poured into the streets to celebrate and return to the rubble of their bombed-out homes on Sunday,

The released hostages, Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher, spent more than 470 days in captivity.

Israel freed 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The release came early on Monday, more than seven hours after three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza returned to Israel.

The three female hostages who were freed on Sunday are now in Israel, the IDF and Shin Bet said in a joint statement. President Joe Biden on Sunday said the long, arduous negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal have "finally come to fruition."

A long-awaited ceasefire has started in Gaza following a three-hour delay, bringing respite to the besieged enclave after a bloody 15 months. Follow for live updates.

US President says Gaza ceasefire deal ‘one of the toughest negotiations’ he has ever been part ofIsraeli military spokesperson confirms ‘Emily, Doron and Romi are now in safe hands’