First hostages freed as long-awaited Gaza ceasefire takes force
CNN
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.
• The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered for news of their release. • The three freed Israeli hostages - the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks - are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees will also be released. • The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN. • Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work. Hamas’ armed wing has said it is committed to the ceasefire agreement and the timeline for the release of the hostages – if Israel is, too. In a speech praising Hamas and its militants, Abu Obaida, the spokesperson for the group’s armed wing, said Sunday that the hostages would be kept safe until they were delivered into Israeli custody – but this was “dependent on the enemy’s commitment” to the ceasefire deal.
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