Palestinian militant group Hamas released three Israeli female hostages on Sunday as part of the first phase of its ceasefire deal with Israel.

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.

You’d think the sight of terrorists harassing young women would be enough to give their Western supporters pause

Dozens of masked militants from Hamas' Al Qassam Brigades and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Al-Quds Brigades were present, adding an intense atmosphere to the exchange.

The ICRC, as agreed by the parties, is preparing for a significant operation that involves the release and transfer of both hostages and detainees, as well as increased humanitarian assistance into Gaza,

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.

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.

Mughrabi and James MackenzieGAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Palestinians poured into the streets to celebrate and headed back to the rubble of their bombed-out homes on Sunday as the Red Cross went to collect the first hostages to be freed in a ceasefire deal that halted fighting in Gaza after a rocky start.

Damari, 28, is a British-Israeli who was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. She grew up in London and is a fan of the Tottenham Hotspur soccer team. According to her mother, she was shot in the hand, injured by shrapnel in her leg, blindfolded, bundled into the back of her own car, and driven to Gaza.

Emily Damari, 28, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Romi Gonen, 24, were released with sick 'memorabilia' commemorating the nearly 500 days they spent in Hamas internment

Hamas released three Israeli hostages during the first phase of the 42-day ceasefire that came into effect on Sunday. Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari had been in Hamas custody since October 7, 2023 and had been held in Gaza.