EVEN before the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and its allies was fully in place today, Palestinians in the war-battered Gaza Strip began to return to the remains of the homes they had evacuated during the 15-month Israeli onslaught.

Israel, meanwhile, announced the names of the first hostages who were handed over to the Red Cross today, in exchange for the planned release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners.

An Israeli official confirmed that Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher were set to be released later last night. 

Hamas was supposed to provide the three names before the start of the ceasefire, originally planned for 8.30am.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that the militants had not lived up to that commitment and that the Israeli military would keep fighting until they did.

Hamas eventually released the names about two hours later, citing technical reasons and confirmed it was still committed to the agreement.

During the delay, the Israelis killed at least 26 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. 

People have been warned to stay away from Israeli forces as they retreat to a buffer zone and as Palestinians make their way back to the wreckage of their homes.

Majida Abu Jarad left her family’s tent in the sprawling tent city of Muwasi, just north of the strip’s southern border with Egypt.

At the start of the war, they were forced to flee their house in Gaza’s northern town of Beit Hanoun, where they used to gather around the kitchen table or on the roof on summer evenings amid the scent of roses and jasmine.

For the past year, Ms Abu Jarad, her husband and their six daughters have trekked the length of the Gaza Strip, following one evacuation order after another by the Israeli military.

Seven times they fled, she said, and each time, their lives became more unrecognisable to them as they crowded with strangers to sleep in a school classroom, searching for water in a vast tent camp or sleeping on the street.

“As soon as they said that the truce would start on Sunday, we started packing our bags and deciding what we would take, not caring that we would still be living in tents,” Ms Abu Jarad said.

“We will remain in a tent, but the difference is that the bleeding will stop, the fear will stop and we will sleep reassured,” Ms Abu Jarad said.