Israeli hostages, Palestinian detainees freed on first Gaza truce exchange

Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners on Monday after Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages, completing the first exchange under a long-awaited truce aimed at ending more than 15 months of war in Gaza.

The three hostages released Sunday, all women, were reunited with their families and taken to hospital in central Israel where a doctor said they were in stable condition.

Hours later in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in exchange left Ofer prison on buses on Sunday.

The initial 42-day truce was brokered by Qatari, US and Egyptian mediators. During this initial truce, 33 Israeli hostages, 31 of whom were taken by militants during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, are due to be returned from Gaza in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians.