Three hostages arrive in Israel from Gaza as fragile ceasefire passes first hurdle [Video]

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The first three hostages released from Gaza have arrived in Israel, the military announced Sunday, hours after the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold. Their mothers were waiting to meet them.

Footage showed the three women walking to Red Cross vehicles in Gaza City, surrounded by a crowd that swelled into the thousands as people held up cellphones and scrambled onto cars. The vehicles were accompanied by masked, armed men who wore green Hamas headbands and struggled to guard the handover.

The three women were taken for medical assessment. “They appear to be in good health,” President Joe Biden said in brief remarks.

Images released by Israel’s military showed them walking between the Red Cross and soldiers, and one of the women, 28-year-old Emily Damari, later raising her bandaged hand in triumph. The military said she lost two fingers in the attack that …