First Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners freed in ceasefire deal with Hamas

Around 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were freed from Israeli jails and into the occupied West Bank on Sunday, as part of an exchange under ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel that went into effect Sunday morning. Their release comes hours after three Israeli women were set free by Hamas-led Palestinian militants who held them hostage in Gaza for 471 days.

This was the first of several hostage and detainee exchanges set to take place during the planned six-week ceasefire in Gaza that’s aimed at ending the 15-month war. Negotiations to extend the deal are expected to begin in coming weeks.

In the West Bank, the freed Palestinians arrived in a bus to scenes of cheering and celebration. Hundreds of people were there to greet them at the release site, in a traffic circle in a suburb of Ramallah. Families were bundled up in winter coats and waving Palestinian flags while waiting for hours in the cold.

Read more: NPR