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In Pictures: Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are welcomed home

Emotional scenes as celebrations erupt amid the return of hostages and prisoners in Israel and Gaza.

By contributor PA
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Omri Miran, facing the camera, hugs his loved ones after being released by Hamas (IDF via AP)

The last surviving hostages from Gaza have been returned home to Israel in a defining exchange in the fragile ceasefire that has paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

Ziv Berman, an Israeli hostage released from the Gaza Strip gestures from the window of a helicopter
Ziv Berman, an Israeli hostage released from the Gaza Strip gestures from the window of a helicopter (Leo Correa/AP)
Matan Angrest, an Israeli hostage released from the Gaza Strip puts his hands on his face after disembarking from a helicopter
Matan Angrest, an Israeli hostage released from the Gaza Strip puts his hands on his face after disembarking from a helicopter (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)
Alon Ohel waving and smiling
Freed Israeli hostage Alon Ohel was released from Hamas captivity (Ariel Schalit/AP)
Eitan Mor waving and smiling
The Red Cross helped to bring the hostages, including Eitan Mor, back into Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP)
A freed Israeli hostage holds an Israeli flag
A freed Israeli hostage holds an Israeli flag (Francisco Seco/AP)
Eitan Mor hugging his family who are draped in Israeli flags
Eitan Mor meeting his family for the first time since he was taken hostage by Hamas (IDF via AP)
Eitan Mor taking a selfie with family members
Eitan Mor celebrates his release with a family selfie (IDF via AP)
Israel Palestinians Gaza
Freed Israeli hostage Avinatan Or arrives at Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva, Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel as part of the deal, and hundreds boarded buses and arrived to welcoming crowds in the West Bank and Gaza.

APTOPIX Israel Palestinians Gaza
Buses carrying freed Palestinian prisoners arriving in the Gaza Strip after their release from Israeli jails (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)
A Palestinian prisoner makes the victory sign after being released from an Israeli prison
A Palestinian prisoner makes the victory sign after being released from an Israeli prison (Majdi Mohammed/AP)
A man held aloft on someone's shoulders among a crowd
More than 1,750 prisoners are to be released as part of the ceasefire deal (Majdi Mohammed/AP)
People embracing in a crowd in Gaza
Hundreds in Gaza and the West Bank waited for coaches to bring their loved ones back (Mahmoud Illean/PA)
A Palestinian prisoner embracing a female
A Palestinian prisoner who was released from an Israeli prison as part of a ceasefire deal (Majdi Mohammed/AP)
APTOPIX Israel Palestinians Gaza
People gather to greet freed Palestinian prisoners arriving on buses in the Gaza Strip (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)