The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed to the Israel Defense Forces that the three Israeli hostages have been transferred to the ICRC and are "on their way" to Israeli forces in Gaza, the IDF said in a statement.

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.

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas handed over three Israeli captives to the Red Cross on Sunday under the first phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement. The three captives were handed over by Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, at Saraya Square in central Gaza City, according to an Anadolu reporter.

The first three hostages to be released under the deal, as announced by Hamas are identified as Emily Damari (28), Doron Steinbrecher (31), and Romi Gonen (24), all Israeli women. The three stepped out of a vehicle surrounded by armed Hamas fighters. They were then transferred into vehicles belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Palestinians poured into the streets to celebrate and return to the rubble of their bombed-out homes on Sunday, and Hamas handed over the first three hostages to the Red

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is set to begin shortly. However, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the ceasefire will not begin until Tel Aviv gets a list of the hostages set to be released.

The ceasefire is expected to begin Sunday, though key questions remain, including the names of the 33 hostages to be released during the six-week first phase of the ceasefire and who among them is

Three hostages have been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to NBC News’ crew in Gaza, and will be making their way to Israel.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza came into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal.Meanwhile,

Ninety Palestinians were to be released from Israeli prisons on Sunday as the ceasefire in Gaza appeared to hold.

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.