Jon Donnison
Reporting from Ramallah

Image source, EPA

We've had fireworks being launched, people waving Palestinian flags and some people were chanting songs in support of Hamas.

The vast majority of those released today are women.

They are enjoying their first day of freedom.

Some of the women were arrested for relatively minor offences such as social media offences, and some were not charged with any crime.

It is a bittersweet moment.

All the women I spoke to were happy to be out of prison but there is a sadness because of so many lives lost over the past 15 months.

Under the ceasefire deal, a new tranche of Palestinian prisoners is being released each week. The most high profile names - those charged with murder, attempted murder and mass murder - will be saved until the end.

There will be difficult days ahead on both sides as people wait to see if their loved ones will come home.

Image source, EPA

Earlier, we reported Donald Trump's recently appointed Middle East envoy had credited the incoming president for getting Israel to set aside its final reservations and agree to a ceasefire.

Appearing on the stage for his victory rally last night, Trump too took the credit: "This agreement could only have happened as a result of our historic victory in November."

"We've achieved more without being president than they've achieved in four years with the president," he says of the Democrats.

More: Crowds brave freezing cold as Washington gears up for Trump inauguration

Image source, Reuters

Gazans are now returning home on the second day following a fragile ceasefire to the war between Hamas and Israel - but many are finding their houses have been reduced to rubble.

If you're only just joining us, here's a quick recap of what's happened since the truce came into effect:

• One of the first hostages freed by Hamas - dual British-Israeli national Emily Damari - says she is the "happiest in this world simply to exist" in a post on Instagram
• In total three Israeli hostages were released yesterday, and four more are expected to be freed within the next week

• In return, as of this morning 90 Palestinian prisoners have been released from Israeli jails
• One released prisoner - a Palestinian journalist - says the wait "was extremely hard", while another says the female prisoners are "strong" but the situation is "bad on all prisoners"
• The first aid trucks following the ceasefire entered Gaza yesterday, and there are thousands still waiting to enter, the acting director of the UN Palestinian refugee agency has told the BBC
• But there is still "great uncertainty", our correspondent writes, with "major questions" about whether the ceasefire will hold after the initial six week stage

Image source, Reuters

Sharone Lifshitz, whose 84-year-old father Oded is being held hostage in Gaza, tells BBC Woman's Hour that "there’s much more heartache to come" as the ceasefire and hostage release deal runs its course over the next few weeks.

Hamas says it will release 33 hostages in the first phase, and Oded is on that list, but Sharone does not know if her father is alive, as the condition of those on the list is unclear.

She's heard no information about her father, apart from when a hostage released in November 2023 reported that they saw him in the first few weeks of his captivity, and that he was injured.

The first thing Sharone wants to say to her dad is, “that I love him, that I miss him, that I am sorry that we could not get to him quicker".

She says she was pleased to see the three Israeli women hostages released yesterday and says the "little moments where families are reunited makes it wonderful".

The Hamas-run civil defence agency has just shared an update on the impact of the war in Gaza over the last 15 months:

• The Civil Defence Service's crews recovered over 38,300 dead bodies, and rescued 97,000 injured people, from areas targeted by Israel
• An estimate of more than 10,000 dead bodies are still under rubble of destroyed buildings, yet to be recovered
• The agency "could not find any trace" of around 2,840 killed people. It says it's because of the extremely high temperatures produced by the Israeli army's weapons

• The crew managed to control 22,403 fires caused by strikes in targeted areas, and evacuated 42,000 from areas and homes "deemed too dangerous to remain"

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has released new figures on the death toll in the Strip since the war began, saying more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 111,000 injured since 7 October.

Fighting is now due to stop in the Strip for the next six weeks, under the first stage of the ceasefire.

Image source, Reuters

Waking up in Gaza this morning, many Palestinians were thinking about loved ones they have lost during the war.

Abdulrahman Riyati, who is now in Khan Younis having been displaced from Rafah, says he "didn't try to go back".

"It is hard for me. I had a 30-year-old son, he was martyred in Khan Younis. I took him with me from Rafah, and he was martyred. It's hard for me to go back to Rafah without him," he tells the Reuters news agency.

Another man, Mohamed Gomaa, also displaced from Rafah, lost his brother and nephew.

"As for returning back to Rafah, it was a big shock, and the amount feeling shocked is countless because of what happened to their homes - it's destruction, total destruction," he says.

Image source, Reuters

As the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas enters day two, we can bring you this drone footage, filmed today, which shows the extent of devastation in the city of Kahn Younis, southern Gaza.

In the footage, you can see makeshift tents scattered amongst the rubble of destroyed buildings as people walk through the streets.

Image source, EPA

As we reported earlier, overnight 90 Palestinians were released from Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank as part of the hostage-prisoner swap.

The BBC's US partner CBS News reports that, according to a list provided by the Palestinian Authority's Commission for Prisoners' Affairs, 69 women and 21 teenage boys from the West Bank and Jerusalem were freed last night - the youngest being 15.

We've also seen a list of some of those released - many of whom were in prison after being arrested, and had not been sentenced.

Amongst those released are:

• Khalida Jarrar, leader of the political group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Jarrar was arrested in late 2023. She reunited with her loved ones in Ramallah

• Dania Hanantsheh, who tells Reuters she was in an Israeli jail for five months. She says the female prisoners are "strong" but the situation is "bad on all prisoners"
• Bushra al-Tawil, a Palestinian journalist jailed in Israel in March 2024 tells AFP news agency, "the wait was extremely hard", after learning the ceasefire had been announced

Over the next six weeks, the ceasefire deal is expected to see some 1,900 Palestinian prisoners freed, while Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages.

Yemen's Houthi rebels say they will limit their ongoing attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea only to those linked with Israel, now that a ceasefire has come into effect.

The group warned that it would resume its attacks on American and British ships if those countries carry out further strikes on Yemen.

In an email sent to shipping operators on Sunday, the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center which co-ordinates between the Houthis and shippers, said the group is "stopping sanctions” on the other vessels it has previously targeted.

The Houthis - an Iran-backed rebel group which considers Israel an enemy - have launched more than 100 drone and missile strikes on international vessels since the start of the war in Gaza. They claimed the strikes were in solidarity with Palestinians there.

Joel Gunter
Reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, Family Handout

For many Israeli hostage families, the painful wait goes on. At 84, Daniel Lifshitz’s grandfather Oded is the second oldest hostage in Gaza.

Oded, a peace activist and journalist, is on the list of 33 to be released over the next six weeks in the first phase of the ceasefire deal.

But the condition of those on the list is unclear and some are presumed dead, leaving relatives, including Daniel, unsure how to prepare.

"We are getting closer to the day when we might see my grandfather," he told me on Sunday night, as the first three hostages we being released.

"But at the same time, today has been very very hard, because we don't know whether he is dead or alive. We don't know whether to prepare for a funeral or a festival."

The family had tried to discuss over dinner on Friday how to get ready for the moment, Daniel said, but hadn’t got far. “We could not get to a conclusion. It is just too hard when you don’t know if he is alive or not.”

What happens next in the Middle East is far from clearpublished at 11:07 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January

11:07 GMT 20 January

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent

After 15 months of war, this ceasefire arrives at a crucial moment although what happens next, in Gaza and beyond, is far from clear.

Lebanon’s leaders are promising ambitious reforms and to curb Hezbollah’s military arm, which could deepen decades-old tensions and lead to more violence.

In Syria, concerns remain about the new rulers’ intentions as well as their ability to keep the country safe amid sectarian divisions and an array of armed groups, including the Islamic State group.

After billions of dollars spent in what has been described as a “ring of fire” around Israel, Iran has been dealt several major blows.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House, and his expected maximum pressure policy, may indicate even more trouble for Tehran.

Image source, Reuters

Since the ceasefire was announced we've reported on the initial joy that many Palestinians have been feeling - but as our correspondent writes, uncertainty and fear remain.

The Palestinians' top envoy to the UK, Husam Zomlot, says "there is no joy, there is a sigh of relief" as the ceasefire comes in.

He tells the Today programme there is a fear among Palestinians that the Netanyahu government is looking at it as "a pause rather than a permanent ceasefire".

"No matter how much killing you do you cannot crush a people's desire for freedom and dignity," he adds.

• For context: Israel has said the first stage of the deal is "temporary" although they want all three stages to come into force, and it reserves the right to resume the war if it was to break down.

A bit more from Gaza now, as many Palestinians continue to return to scenes of widespread devastation, finding bombed out buildings and mountains of rubble where homes previously stood.

Here are some of the latest photos out of the Strip this morning:

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

We've been hearing from Sam Rose, acting director of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, who says "it does feel very different" in Gaza this morning.

“There are no bombardments, no drones...even the drones fell silent, it feels peaceful," he tells the Today programme.

"Children are playing and people are out and about - they can breathe without fear."

Thousands of aid trucks are still waiting to enter Gaza, he says, with supplies stuck outside for many months including tents, blankets, mattresses and clothes.

The first trucks of the ceasefire entered yesterday. “We had a good day yesterday in terms of the numbers coming in," says Rose. "Now people need to recover physically from the trauma."

Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent, in Istanbul

Most people I spoke to in Gaza this morning could hardly believe they had a full night of sleep for the first time since the war began.

Others woke early to begin the arduous journey on foot back to their neighbourhoods.

Safaa Mahmoud, who has been living with her sisters and father in a tent in Khan Younis since the war began, tells the BBC: “I couldn’t believe I didn’t wake up startled, as I used to every night. The sound of birds was amazing.

"Even though our beautiful home was reduced to rubble, I would rather have a moment of peace and happiness.

"There is still room for the sadness and pain that will stay with us for many years.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy says he is "pleased and delighted" that Hamas has released British-Israeli Emily Damari.

He tells Radio 4's Today programme that he grew very close to her family, and keeps a yellow plastic flower in his office to remember Emily.

"I said I would keep in my office until she was freed. I will move it from my office today and take it home," he says.

Lucy Manning
Special correspondent

Image source, Handout

In the last few minutes we’ve had a statement from Mandy Damari saying her daughter is doing much better than anticipated on her release.

"Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug that I have been dreaming of.

"From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank the many people who have played a role in bringing Emily home and given their support to me and my family. As I said over the course of the campaign, you are all Emily’s family.

"I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated. I am also happy that during her release the world was given a glimpse of her feisty and charismatic personality.

"In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back."

She adds that the other missing hostages must also be remembered, saying: "The ceasefire must continue and every last hostage must be returned to their families.

"As wonderful as it is to see Emily’s resilience, these are still early days. As you will have seen yesterday, Emily lost two of the fingers on her left hand.

"She now needs time with her loved ones and her doctors as she begins her road to recovery. Neither Emily, myself or other members of our family will be giving interviews or further comments in the immediate future, and we appreciate being given space and privacy to heal at this time."

Some of the Palestinian women prisoners who were released last night have been speaking about their new freedom.

"Truly the joy is indescribable," Amal Shujaiya tells the AFP news agency. "We are free today among our families and loved ones... Allah has honoured us with a resounding victory."

"Thank God they released us," Hanan Maalwani adds - but speaks about her time in jail, saying: "They harassed us until the last moment with searches and oppression."

During their time in prison the women also heard nothing of the outside world, says Yamamah Herinat.

"Of course, the feelings were mixed between the great joy of our release from the occupation’s cells and the fear of the reality that would face us," she says. "We were completely absent from the news."

• For context: 90 Palestinian prisoners were released overnight - they include 69 women and 21 teenage boys from the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to Hamas.

Image source, Reuters

Emily Damari - the dual British-Israeli national who was among the first hostages freed yesterday - says on Instagram: "I came back to life".

In a post on a black background, Damari writes "love, love, love", and thanks God, her family and "the closest friends I have in this world".

According to the translation, she says she was able to see a little bit of the reaction yesterday to her release, and it made her "heart" emotional.

"Thank you, I’m happiest in this world simply to exist."

At the bottom of the message she also includes a hand emoji - yesterday she was pictured with a bandaged hand and two missing fingers.

• Update 09:50 GMT - this post has been updated to change a translation from Hebrew from "I've returned to my beloved life" to "I came back to life"