The Gaza ceasefire and the release of the first hostages and prisoners brought some joy and hope to both Palestinians and Israelis.

For the first time in 471 days, Palestinian medics in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip reported no deaths from Israeli military action on Monday, stressing that Cease fire between Hamas and Israel It was confirmed on the spot. CBS News crews in Israel, Gaza and the occupied West Bank have seen more joy — or at least relief — than has been painted on residents’ faces for 15 months.

The ceasefire came into force on Sunday after a three-hour delay, during which about 20 more Palestinians were killed, according to medics in the devastated Palestinian state.

According to a memorandum of understanding that the United States helped broker with Qatar and Egypt; Three Israeli hostages Hamas was released from prison on Sunday after the fighting stopped. Just after midnight, 90 Palestinian prisoners were released from an Israeli prison in the occupied West Bank.

On October 7, 2023, the people of Gaza heard the sound of children playing instead of the thunder of war on Monday after the militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in more than a year of brutal terror attacks by Hamas. The head of the UN’s Palestinian Authority, Philippe Lazzarini, witnessed the jets and airstrikes. press release Posted on social media.

“Our teams report that the first day of the ceasefire is good,” he said, adding that aid and some trade supplies began to flow safely into Gaza on Sunday. Along with the release of hostages and prisoners, it is another key element of the ceasefire agreement. At least 600 aid trucks are expected to enter Gaza per day.

“The ceasefire must continue and all elements of the agreement must be implemented,” Lazzarini said. It is the right step for lasting peace and stability for all.

Palestinians long to return to destroyed homes in Gaza.

Rebuilding Gaza will be an incredibly long and costly process, and the third and final phase of the transition is only set to begin in earnest. Three-stage ceasefire agreementThat, if the deal proceeds smoothly, could be months away. The municipality of Gaza City, which is still run by Hamas, said. press release On Monday, at least the main roads closed during the war began to be cleared.

That will help tens of thousands of displaced civilians return to their towns and villages as they try to assess the damage to their homes and use what they can to salvage the rubble.

Thousands of families have begun walking or dragging their way from displaced camps in Gaza City to the condemned towns and cities of Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanon in the northern Gaza Strip.

Also returning to the southern town of Rafah, a CBS News crew spoke with a girl dressed in what looked like a Palestinian flag.

“This is the moment all Gazans have been waiting for,” she said. “Thank God the war is over… After enduring the pain, it’s time to celebrate. After all the destruction, it’s time to rebuild. The children of Gaza are painting a new future.”

Civil defense rescue teams continue to find the bodies of dozens of people killed during the fighting in the rubble of destroyed buildings and on the streets. Civil Defense estimates that around 10,000 bodies may still be buried under the rubble of demolished homes in Gaza.

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said on Monday that 122 bodies have been recovered from hospitals in the region, including 62 recovered from the rubble, bringing the total number of dead in Gaza since the start of the war to 47,035. The ministry did not distinguish between combatants and civilian victims, but said most of those killed were civilians, including tens of thousands of women and children.

A happy reunion for 3 Israeli families, with the promise of dozens more

A Red Cross convoy that entered Gaza City on Sunday was the first sign that Hamas is holding up its end of the bargain. But the handover of the hostages was chaotic; Heavily armed Hamas fighters surrounded the vehicles and climbed up — a clear show of force and determination against Israel’s top military force, which has been unleashed for more than a year.

But soon the world and the desperate families back home find the three women freed, trapped between cars, and get their first glimpse of freedom.

After being held hostage by Hamas for almost 15 months, 24-year-old Romi Gonen, 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher and 28-year-old Emilie Damari were finally on their way to be in the arms of their loved ones. The three women – including Demari, an Israeli-British citizen who lost two fingers in the October 7 attack – were all reunited with their mothers upon arrival in Israel.

“Yesterday, I was able to give Emily the hug I dreamed of,” Damari’s mother Mandy said in a statement released Monday. “I’m relieved to say that Emily is doing better than any of us could have ever expected since her release… In Emily’s own words, she’s the happiest woman in the world; she’s got her life back.”

Mandy Demari emphasized that during her great joy, other families are still waiting to share the joy.

We must remember that 94 other hostages still remain, she said. The ceasefire must continue and all hostages must be returned to their families.

Hundreds of Israelis shared the joy on Sunday night as they watched in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square – including their own loved ones who did not – or never did – leave Hamas exile.

Gil Dickman’s cousin, Carmel Gat, was one of the abductees. It was her body. It was recovered by the Israeli military campaign In early September. Still, Diekman regularly attended dozens of other demonstrations in Hostage Square demanding their return. He told CBS that he struggled to believe when he saw the women get out of the vehicles on Sunday.

“My God, it’s them,” he said to himself. “Everybody around the world should experience this joy – when people come back home alive. It’s the happiest thing you can do to be alive.”

Celebrating the release of Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Sunday night, 90 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women, were freed in a hostage exchange.

“They treated us like animals,” said 18-year-old Rose Kuys.

“I’ve left hell and I’m in heaven,” Abdulaziz Atauneh said as he left Israel’s Ofer prison outside the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The freed prisoners were greeted with fireworks, whistles and shouts of “God is great,” as many were carried on the shoulders of the massive crowd outside the prison – many of whom would be released throughout the day.

According to a list provided by the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, all those freed early Monday were women or minors, the youngest being 15 years old. They are imprisoned in Israel, many without formal charges. For alleged crimes ranging from stone pelting to attempted murder.

The ongoing exchange of prisoners has been suspended under a cease-fire agreement reached on Saturday, allowing the release of four hostages and nearly 120 Palestinian prisoners. A total of 33 Israeli hostages are set to be released in the first six weeks of the deal.

Steve Berriman And

Khalid Wasif

contributed to this report.