A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took effect on Sunday as Hamas released the first three female hostages it held for 15 months of the devastating war with Israel.

The ceasefire, which went into force at 11:15 a.m. local time (0915 GMT) after an almost three-hour delay, was brokered by mediators the United States, Qatar and Egypt in months of indirect talks between the warring sides.

The release of the first three hostages is expected to be followed by the release from Israel of 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the first stage of the ceasefire deal.

The Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive. Nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza.

Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half the dead.