On Sunday, Hamas freed three Israeli hostages while Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners, marking the first day of a ceasefire that pauses a 15-month conflict that has greatly impacted the Gaza Strip and escalated tensions across the Middle East.

This truce allowed Palestinians to return to their damaged neighborhoods to start rebuilding, while vital aid began reaching those in need. In other parts of Gaza, crowds celebrated the return of Hamas fighters who had been in hiding.

Buses carrying the released Palestinian prisoners were greeted by cheering crowds and fireworks as they arrived in Ramallah on the West Bank. According to Hamas, the group included 69 women and 21 teenage boys from the West Bank and Jerusalem.

In Tel Aviv, hundreds of Israelis expressed joy and relief in a square outside the military headquarters as live coverage from Gaza showed three female hostages entering a Red Cross vehicle, flanked by Hamas fighters.

The Israeli army confirmed that Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari were reunited with their mothers, sharing a video that indicated they were in good health. Damari, who lost two fingers due to a shooting on the day of her abduction, smiled while hugging her mother, displaying her bandaged hand.

“I want you to convey this: Romi, Doron, and Emily – the whole nation embraces you. Welcome home,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed in a phone call to a military officer.

At Sheba Medical Center, the women shared emotional reunions with their families, transitioning from tears to laughter. Damari, wrapped in an Israeli flag, was one of over 250 individuals taken hostage during a Hamas raid on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 deaths, according to Israeli sources.

Medical officials in Gaza report that more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israeli attacks. The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are now without homes, with around 400 Israeli soldiers also having lost their lives.

First phase of the ceasefire starts

The ceasefire agreement stipulates that hostilities will cease, humanitarian aid will flow into Gaza, and 33 out of nearly 100 remaining Israeli and foreign hostages will be released in the initial six-week phase in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. Many of the hostages are believed to be deceased.

In northern Gaza, Palestinians navigated through the wreckage and debris left behind from severe bombings during the conflict.

“I finally feel like I’ve found a drink of water after wandering in the desert for 15 months,” shared Aya, displaced from her home in Gaza City for over a year.

The ceasefire took effect after a three-hour delay caused by Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire in the Gaza Strip. This final barrage claimed the lives of 13 individuals, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel attributed the delay to Hamas’s late submission of hostages’ names while claiming it targeted terrorists. Hamas cited technical issues as the cause for the hold-up.

“Today, the guns have gone silent in Gaza,” stated U.S. President Joe Biden on his last full day in office, expressing relief at a truce that had been sought through international diplomacy for over a year. “We’ve reached this milestone due to the pressure Israel applied on Hamas, supported by the United States.”

For Hamas, this ceasefire allowed them to step out from obscurity after 15 months. In various locations, Hamas police in blue uniforms were swiftly deployed, and armed fighters patrolled the streets of Khan Younis, where supporters cheered for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing.

“All resistance factions are firm in their resolve, regardless of Netanyahu,” one fighter told Reuters.

Trump adviser: ‘Hamas will never govern Gaza’

There is currently no comprehensive plan to govern Gaza post-conflict, let alone start the rebuilding process. Hamas’s return could challenge Israel’s patience, as officials have stated they will resume military action unless the militant group is disbanded completely.

Hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir resigned from the cabinet due to the ceasefire, although his party has stated it will not attempt to overthrow Netanyahu’s government. Another prominent hardliner, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, remained in the government but warned that he would step down if the fighting concludes without dismantling Hamas.

The ceasefire began the day before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, asserted that if Hamas violates the agreement, the United States would back Israel “in taking necessary measures.”

“Hamas will never govern Gaza. That is wholly unacceptable,” he stated.

The streets of devastated Gaza City were buzzing with people waving Palestinian flags and taking videos of the scene on their phones. Several carts filled with household belongings moved along a road strewn with rubble and debris.

Ahmed Abu Ayham, 40, from Gaza City, remarked that while the ceasefire may have preserved lives, the extensive losses and destruction made it an inappropriate time for celebration.

“We are in immense pain, deep pain, and it is a moment to embrace one another and weep,” he expressed.