Israel and Hamas ceasefire deal takes effect as first 3 hostages are released

Three Israeli hostages were released Sunday as part of a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. They are the first of 33 that Hamas is expected to free during the first phase of the deal.

"The Red Cross has communicated that the three Israeli hostages were transferred to them and are on their way toward IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip," said the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Authority in a statement.

The ceasefire officially began earlier Sunday after a last-minute delay of almost three hours. The fighting continued past the initially provisioned 8:30 a.m. local (1:30 a.m. Eastern) deadline as the Israeli military said Hamas had failed to provide the names of the first three hostages due to be released, per the terms of the agreement.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed that a list of names had been provided and that the ceasefire would take effect from 11:15 a.m. local time (4:15 a.m. Eastern). Now, families in Israel wait for the release of hostages who have been held by Hamas for more than 15 months.

The first Israeli hostages

The exchange is set to begin at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, 4 p.m. local time on Sunday. A Red Cross convoy is on its way to pick up the first Israeli hostages in Gaza. It is not clear how long the process will take before the hostages will be handed over.

Netanyahu's office did not confirm which names were on the list, but the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of the hostages, confirmed that 24-year-old Romi Gonen, 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher and 28-year-old Emily Damari were expected to be released later on Sunday.

"We await their safe return to Israel to be reunited with their families after 471 days in Hamas captivity," the forum said in a statement.

In Gaza, fighter jets and drones were reported to have disappeared from the skies as the deal took effect, and at least 191 aid trucks were said to have begun entering into Gaza through the Karem Shalom crossing.

The first phase of the ceasefire calls for Hamas to release 33 hostages over a six-week period. They include women, children and hostages over 50 years old, a draft viewed by CBS News said.

The plan says three living female hostages will be returned on Day 1. Four hostages will be released on Day 7, and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.

The pause — the second in the 15-month-long war — was achieved through joint pressure from President-elect Donald Trump and the outgoing administration of President Biden.

On Wednesday, Mr. Biden and Qatar's prime minister separately announced the deal after a week of intense negotiations mediated by Qatar, the U.S. and Egypt.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump welcomed the impending release of the three hostages.

"Hostages starting to come out today! Three wonderful young women will be first," he wrote Sunday morning.

In a rare meeting during the Jewish Sabbath, Israel's full Cabinet voted to approve the deal.