Hamas has released seven Israeli captives into the custody of the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC], as the hotly anticipated first phase of a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza unfolds, writes Al Jazeera.

Cheers broke out in Israel, where tens of thousands of people had gathered to watch public screenings of the handovers on Monday, as television channels announced that the captives were with the ICRC.

The Israeli military confirmed the release, saying in a post on X that the seven released captives were being accompanied by the army and forces from the Shin Bet intelligence services on their return to Israel, where they would undergo an initial medical assessment.

The military names the released captives as Matan Angrest, Gali and Ziv Berman, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor, Omri Miran and Guy Gilboa Dalal.

Families would be reunited with their loved ones before the captives were flown to hospitals for further treatment, the DPA news agency reported.

Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh said the released captives were “reported to be in reasonable condition, walking without needing medical assistance”.