Palestinian militant groups have released three more Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip on Thursday as part of the ceasefire agreement.

The hostages are Arbel Yehud, who holds both Israeli and German citizenship, as well as female Israeli soldier Agam Berger and Gadi Moses, whom media reports say also has German citizenship.

The hostages are to be released in exchange for dozens of Palestinian prisoners.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation is holding Ms Yehud. Ms Yehud was originally supposed to be released with the last batch of hostages freed on Saturday.

Instead, four female soldiers were released in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel had demanded that female civilians be released before female soldiers.

Outraged at the delay in freeing Ms Yehud, Israel initially blocked the agreed return of internally displaced persons to the north of the Gaza Strip.

However, after a new agreement was reached for the release of the German-Israeli woman and the two other hostages, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were able to make the arduous trek northwards this week.

Meanwhile, Mr Moses will be the first male hostage freed under the ceasefire agreement.

This has put a halt to fighting on January 19 after over 15 months of war.

The group cooperates with Iran-backed Hamas, the Palestinian militant group which spearheaded the October  7, 2023 attacks on Southern Israel.

The militants would hand over the hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross before their return to Israel, where they would immediately be taken to a hospital for examination.

According to the Times of Israel, the hostages are likely to be released at different times and locations.

In exchange, 110 Palestinians held in Israeli jails would be released. Three more Israeli hostages are expected to be released this Saturday, too.

A three-stage ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was reached in mid-January after months-long efforts by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to mediate between the warring parties.

The first stage of the ceasefire agreement foresaw the release of 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

The Israeli military is to withdraw from densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip.

There are 90 hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip, no fewer than 30 of whom have been confirmed dead, according to Israeli officials.

(dpa/NAN)