Israeli media, carrying live footage from Qatar-based Al Jazeera, is showing the first images of the first three hostages to be released

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.

Smotrich said he has received assurances that Israel will resume the war after the first phase, during which 33 hostages held in Gaza are to return home and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are to be freed. The second phase, which must still be negotiated, is to work out an end to the war and return of all remaining hostages.

Once the guns fell silent, Palestinians celebrated in the streets of Gaza while Israelis streamed into Tel Aviv’s “Hostages Square” to await their return.

A crowd of Israelis erupted in joy when they learned three women held captive for 15 months by Hamas had been freed as a tentative cease-fire took hold, which would see Palestinians released from Israeli jails,

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, ushering in an initial six-week period of calm and raising hopes for the release of dozens of militant-held hostages and an end to the devastating 15-month war.