A loud cheer swept through the crowd gathered at a Tel Aviv plaza known as Hostage Square, where giant screens livestreamed the long-awaited release of four Israeli hostages on Saturday, the latest to be freed under a Gaza ceasefire deal.

Hundreds gathered at the square in the early morning in anticipation of the release of the four hostages, all women soldiers. Some attendees wore yellow t-shirts bearing the slogan: "You are not alone."

Many Israelis began to breathe a sigh of relief as the ceasefire and hostage release deal, which also sees Palestinian prisoners freed, got underway last Sunday after a 15-month ordeal.

"I'm super excited, waves of excitement and happiness," said Shlomi Ben Yakar, 54. "In the past it felt like a dream, and now it's a good dream that is coming true."

All eyes were fixed anxiously on the screen for hours, awaiting the arrival of an International Committee of the........

© Al Monitor