Hamas has handed over seven Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza, an official involved in the operation said, under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel, which was set to release about 2,000 Palestinians from its jails in exchange, Reuters reports.

The handover of the 13 remaining surviving hostages, plus 28 other Israeli hostages — 26 dead and two whose fate is unknown — is expected to follow.

In Israel, people waving Israeli flags gathered near Reim, a military camp near Gaza, where hostages will be brought and then taken to hospitals.