The exchange is part of a deal between Israel and Hamas that will see a total of 33 hostages returned to Israel in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

TEL AVIV — Hamas militants handed over four captive female Israeli soldiers to the Red Cross at Gaza City on Saturday after parading them in front of a crowd. Israel followed with the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees as part of the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

TEL AVIV/CAIRO (Reuters) -Israel approved a ceasefire deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday that involves releasing hostages in the Gaza Strip, and Israeli forces carried out new attacks in the enclave before the agreement's scheduled start on Sunday.

Thousands of Israelis gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, some cheering and some in tears, as a giant television screen broadcast the first glimpse of the first three hostages to be released under the Gaza ceasefire deal.

TEL AVIV — Hundreds gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square and New York City’s Central Park to celebrate ... and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, left Gaza after more than 15 months in captivity.

Israel and Hamas were expected to swap more hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, the second such exchange since a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip last weekend and another test for the deal.

Hamas released Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Karina Ariev and Daniella Gilboa on Saturday. Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners.

As they were released, hundreds of people cheered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square where they were watching the drama unfold on a big screen television.

Once the guns fell silent, Palestinians celebrated in the streets of Gaza while Israelis streamed into Tel Aviv’s “Hostages Square” to await their return.

The deal hit its first major complication when Israel said a female civilian hostage named Arbel Yahoud was supposed to be released but wasn't.

The organization representing families of hostages held in the Gaza strip is celebrating the news that three male hostages would be released Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.