The first three Israeli hostages were released after the ceasefire officially began. Hours later, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

After 15 months of collective grief and anxiety, three Israeli hostages left Hamas captivity and returned to Israel, and dozens of Palestinian prisoners walked free from Israeli jail, leaving both Israelis and Palestinians torn between celebration and trepidation as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold

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.

The truce allowed Palestinians to return to bombed-out neighborhoods to begin rebuilding their lives, while relief trucks delivered much-needed aid.

The first-stage ceasefire and hostage deal approved by Israel's cabinet on Saturday is a "complete victory for terrorism," Itamar Ben-Gvir said.

President Biden released a statement following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire announcement Wednesday, saying release of American hostages will be included in the agreement.

Even before the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was fully in place, Palestinians in the war-battered Gaza Strip began to return to the remains of the homes they had evacuated during the 15-month war.

Major stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trade on Monday, helped by the ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, while investors awaited key policy announcements from Donald Trump's incoming administration.

Calling the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas a "first step" towards lasting peace in the Middle East, US President-elect Donald Trump claimed that the "epic" agreement could happen "only" due to his historic victory in November presidential polls.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have signaled they now will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships, just as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip entered its second day Monday.