Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, walked to Red Cross vehicles as their convoy moved through Gaza City after 15 months in captivity.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The first three hostages set to be released from Gaza were transferred to the Red Cross and were on their way toward Israeli forces, the Israeli military announced Sunday, hours after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold.

Three Israeli hostages released from Gaza have been handed over to Israeli forces there in the first test of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time, mediator Qatar announced Saturday.

A ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is set to begin Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time, facilitated by Qatar. The truce will last 42 days in its first phase and involves the exchange of hostages and prisoners. Thirty-three Israeli hostages will be released in exchange for 737 Palestinian detainees, including women and minors.

A truce in the brutal war that began with the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks trades 3 Israeli hostages for 100 Palestinian prisoners. No American is on the list.

Three hostages held by Hamas are expected to be released Sunday after 471 days in captivity as part of a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group

Qatar’s foreign ministry says the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will go into effect at 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) on Sunday

The women are the first three hostages to be released under the newly implemented ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas