Palestinians in Gaza hail ceasefire as thousands start preparations to return home following 15 months of war.

A long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza began after a three-hour delay as Hamas named the three female hostages it plans to free later on Sunday.

Thousands of Palestinians burst into the streets across Gaza as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on Sunday, some in celebration, others to visit the graves of relatives, while many rushed back to their homes.

Palestinians celebrated in the streets of Gaza City as the ceasefire went into effect on Jan. 19, after a three-hour delay over Hamas’s list of hostage names.

The future is "uncertain and unclear" in Gaza after a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began, BBC Middle East Correspondent Rushdi Abualouf has said. "People don't know if it's a real ceasefire on the ground,

JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli warplanes and artillery attacked the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday and Palestinian medics said eight people were killed shortly after Israel and Hamas missed a deadline for a ceasefire that could pave the way for halting the Middle East's most devastating conflict in years.

Mughrabi and James Mackenzie JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip took effect on Sunday after a nearly three-hour delay, pausing a 15-month-old war that has brought devastation and seismic political change to the Middle East.