Hundreds of Israelis gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, some cheering and some in tears, as a giant television screen broadcast the first glimpse of the first three hostages to be released under the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The three women were in stable condition, Sheba Medical Center said, and authorities released footage of them reuniting with their families, hugging fiercely and sobbing.

Officials say Israel and Hamas appear to be inching closer to a phased ceasefire agreement. But a deal hasn’t been reached yet.

A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took effect on Sunday following an almost three-hour delay after Hamas was late to name the three hostage it plans to release.

The Israeli military says the first three hostages set to be released from Gaza have been transferred to the Red Cross and are on their way toward Israeli forces, hours after the ceasefire between Isr

A Red Cross convoy is on its way to pick up the first Israeli hostages in Gaza. It is not clear how long the process will take before the hostages

Celebrations erupted across the war-ravaged territory and some Palestinians began returning to their homes despite the delay.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The first three hostages released from Gaza arrived in Israel on Sunday for tearful reunions with families, hours after the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold following 15 months of war. Palestinians waited for the first release of prisoners held by Israel.

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

If the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal goes according to the current draft, then fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days, and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Three Israeli hostages released from Gaza have been handed over to Israeli forces there in the first test of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The three hostages are Romi Gonen, 24, kidnapped from the Nova music festival, and Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.