Phase one of the deal states that Hamas officials will release a total of 33 hostages, many of whom are children, women and people over 50. In return, Israeli officials will release 50 Palestinian prisoners held in their jails for every Israeli female soldier released by Hamas, and 30 Palestinian prisoners for other hostages held by Hamas.

While the news of the ceasefire has been widely welcomed, in particular by the South African government, it remains to be seen whether each phase of the agreement will actually be implemented as outlined by those who have brokered it.

Israel has freed 90 Palestinians, seven hours after the first three Israeli hostages were released from Hamas captivity as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

It comes as Israeli strikes have killed dozens in Gaza ahead of the truce which is expected to take effect on Sunday.

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. Meanwhile,

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

Only a trickle of aid is reaching the area, 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 ...

The first hostages held by Hamas since October 7, 2023 were released Sunday morning, with 33 hostages expected to be released in the coming weeks.

Heavy Israeli bombardment, especially in Gaza City, killed 32 people late on Wednesday. The strikes continued early on Thursday and destroyed houses in Rafah in southern Gaza, Nuseirat in central Gaza and in northern Gaza,

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."

The contractors have been enlisted to do weapons checks on vehicles carrying displaced Palestinians back to their homes in the north under the terms of the new cease-fire.