Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages from captivity in two orderly handover ceremonies that stood in marked contrast to chaotic scenes earlier this week.

Hamas has agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages as part of a cease-fire agreement with Israel that has brought a pause to more than 15 months of fighting.On Saturday, the militant group freed the first American to be released in the latest truce,

Hamas militants released three male hostages being held in the Gaza Strip on Saturday and Israel began releasing 183 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, part of a ceasefire deal that has halted 15 months of intense fighting.