By The Associated Press A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took effect on Sunday following an almost three-hour delay after Hamas was late to name the three hostage it plans to release. The

Three Israeli hostages released from Gaza have been handed over to Israeli forces there in the first test of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The first three Israeli hostages returning home under a long-awaited Gaza truce were transferred to the Red Cross overnight, a Hamas official and the Israeli military said. The hostages, all women, “were officially handed over to the Red Cross” in Gaza City ahead of their return to Israel,

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has come into effect after a delay of almost three hours. The three-stage truce starts the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

Rockets fired from Gaza and intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system over Israeli skies are seen from Gaza City, on May 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair, File) DOHA, Qatar — Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip,

The first three hostages released from Gaza have arrived in Israel, the military announced Sunday, hours after the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold. Next up is the release of 90 Palestinian prisoners later Sunday.

Chaotic scenes enveloped the three hostages from Israel who were handed over to the Red Cross Sunday by masked Hamas militants wearing green headbands in a packed Gaza City square.A dense crowd of Palestinians had gathered to watch the moment,

The truce, which started at 11:15 a.m. local time, is just the first step toward ultimately ending the conflict and returning nearly 100 hostages abducted in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack.