The key Israel-Hamas ceasefire conditions, in brief

The deal is split into three phases. The first, which began on Sunday, includes the release of 33 hostages from Gaza.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - JANUARY 19: People gathered in what's known as Hostages Square react to news that the first hostages have been released after a ceasefire agreement began between Israel and Hamas on January 19, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel. A total of 33 Israeli hostages, taken captive by Hamas and allied groups on Oct. 7, 2023, were to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire, in exchange for 1,890 Palestinian prisoners.  Of the 251 hostages taken on Oct. 7, 94 are still held in Gaza, with 60 assumed to be living and 34 dead. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
People gathered in what is known as Hostages Square react to news that the first hostages were released after a ceasefire agreement began between Israel and Hamas on Sunday. (Getty)

A ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Sunday morning, bringing 15 months of fighting to a halt and paving the way for the release of dozens of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Hours after the ceasefire took effect, Hamas handed three female hostages to the Red Cross to be returned to Israel.

The deal also sets the stage for staggered withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of Palestinians to what's left of their homes in the Gaza Strip and a surge of humanitarian assistance in the besieged territory, whose people have endured heavy aerial bombardments, starvation and a shortage of medicine.

Here, Yahoo News breaks down the deal, and the questions that still remain over the long-term future of Gaza.

The deal is split into three phases. The first phase of the deal includes the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza - mainly women, children and the elderly - and the release of 730 Palestinian prisoners.

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Three hostages were released by Hamas on Sunday, Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari - the only British-Israeli hostage who was still being held in Gaza.

Cheers erupted in Tel Aviv's "Hostages Square", a meeting place for families of captives and supporters, as live TV showed the hostages being handed over to the Red Cross to be returned to Israel.

The Red Cross informed Israeli authorities that the hostages are in good health, and were confirmed to be back inside Israeli territory shortly before 4pm UK time.

Emily Damari’s mother, Mandy, thanked "everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name".

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The ceasefire document says that Hamas will release all remaining detainees included in this stage during the sixth week of the ceasefire.

Sharing the names of all 33 hostages to be freed under this stage, the Israeli government wrote on X: "We are waiting for each and every one of you."

This screen grab taken from AFPTV shows one of the Israeli hostages exiting a vehicle to be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) during the hostage-prisoner exchange operation in Saraya Square in western Gaza City on January 19, 2025.
TV footage shows one of the Israeli hostages exiting a vehicle to be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross. (Getty Images)

In return, Israel will release the agreed upon number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons, based on lists provided by Hamas, according to the ceasefire document.

On Friday, Israel published a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners set to be released on the first day of the ceasefire, which the Israeli justice ministry said includes 69 women, 16 men and 10 minors - the youngest of whom is 16.

The list included Palestinian politician Khalida Jarrar, who, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, was arrested at the start of the war and has been detained without trial ever since.

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However, on Sunday, the Hamas Prisoners Media Office said 90 Palestinian prisoners would be freed, including 69 women and 21 teenage boys. It was not immediately clear why the number had been revised down from 90.

Coaches were seen arriving outside Israel's Ofer Prison in the West Bank. Of Sunday's prisoners, 76 will be released from the West Bank and 14 from Jerusalem.

Israel is expected to release up to 1,904 prisoners in the first stage of the agreement, according to the Times of Israel.

The first phase also requires Israel to begin a staged withdrawal from densely populated areas of Gaza, moving to the east and maintaining a border perimeter.

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The initial phase of the deal will also allow for more aid to enter the embattled enclave.

During the early days of the ceasefire, Israel will retain its presence in the Philadelphi Corridor which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border. Its heavy presence there during the most recent conflict had violated the Camp David Accord, and had been a contentious issue during negotiations.

Israel is expected to "gradually reduce the forces in the corridor area during stage one".

Discussions over details of the second phase are expected to begin on day 16 of the first.

The second phase is expected to involve further hostage releases and Israeli withdrawal, as well as security discussions for Palestinians returning to the north of Gaza.

It involves "all remaining Israeli male detainees who are alive (civilians and soldiers) in exchange for a number of prisoners in Israeli prisons and detainees in Israeli detention centres, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip".

Around 98 hostages are understood to still be held in captivity. However, Israel has had no confirmation on how many of them are still alive, with as many as half believed to have not survived.

The full details of the third phase of the ceasefire have yet to be decided, but will involve the rebuilding of Gaza and returning of the remains of Israeli hostages.

"Under phase three, any final remains of hostages who have been killed will be returned to their families, and a major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin," Biden said.

Destroyed buildings by Israeli bombardments are seen inside the Gaza Strip from southern Israel, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)
The rebuilding of Gaza is expected to be part of the third phase of the ceasefire. (AP)

While high hopes remain for ceasefire success, all parties involved are looking ahead with caution.

On Saturday Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would resume its war in Gaza "in new ways and with very great power" if Hamas breaks the ceasefire.

Both sides will also likely be reflecting on the last temporary pause in fighting, which was agreed in November 2023 and lasted for a week before hostilities resumed.

There have also been concerns that the timeline for talks could provide room for both sides to object to terms of the second and third phases of the agreement - for Hamas, there will be concerns that the full release of the hostages leaves them open to bombardment from Israel with nothing to bargain with.

For its part, Israel is unlikely to back any agreement that limits its security capabilities in the enclave and, it fears, leave it open to further attacks like those of 7 October 2023.

The deal is also likely to cause further political turmoil for Netanyahu's coalition government, with three far-right ministers, including national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, submitting their resignations on Sunday in opposition to the agreement.

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