Three female Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for 15 months have been released and brought back to Israel, after a long-awaited ceasefire deal took effect. Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, who is also a British citizen, were due to be freed in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas handed over three Israeli captives to the Red Cross on Sunday under the first phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement. The three captives were handed over by Hamas' armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, at Saraya Square in central Gaza City, according to an Anadolu reporter.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, in Gaza, is now in effect. The deal began after nearly a three-hour delay during which Israeli strikes killed at least 19 Palestinians.