Hamas gunmen release 3 hostages in show of force as ceasefire begins | BBC News

After 15 months of war that began with a attack on Israel by Hamas and ended with much of the Gaza Strip levelled by Israel, a ceasefire has come into effect with the first three hostages released from Gaza and 90 Palestinians due to be freed from Israeli jails in return.

In what should have been the first hours of peace at least 19 Palestinians were killed by airs strikes and 36 more were wounded, the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said. The Israel Defense Forces said they had attached "a number of terror targets".

The hostage release was the first of several due to take place over six weeks – if the ceasefire holds – until a total of 33 hostages have been returned and about 1,900 Palestinians have been freed. 97 hostages are still in captivity according to Israel, though dozens of those are presumed dead.

In Gaza, the health ministry says more than 46,900 people have been killed and most of the strip's pre-war population of 2.3 million has been displaced, it is expected to be a week before the first displaced people in the south can move back to where they lived in the north.

The UN's satellite agency estimates that 60% of structures across Gaza have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli strikes and demolitions, meaning many displaced will have to remain for now in shelters or continue sleeping rough, prolonging a massive humanitarian crisis.

Anna Foster presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jeremy Bowen, Jon Donnison, Fergal Keane and Lucy Manning.

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