Three female Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for 15 months have been released and brought back to Israel, after a long-awaited ceasefire deal took effect. Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, who is also a British citizen, were due to be freed in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza came into effect Sunday morning, after a delay of nearly three hours from the expected time. BBC News reports that Gazans are beginning to return to their homes, after Hamas fulfilled the condition of ceasefire,

For the first time in 471 days, Palestinian medics in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip didn't report a single death from Israeli military action on Monday, as a tense ceasefire between Hamas and Israel settled into place.

After the fighting paused, Hamas began to free some of its hostages, releasing 3, and Israel said it had released 90 Palestinian prisoners.

Mughrabi, Maayan Lubell and Emily Rose JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Palestinians headed for the rubble of their former homes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday and Israelis prepared to receive the first hostages still held by Hamas after a ceasefire deal took effect that could pave the way for an end to the 15-month-old war.