Three more Israeli hostages — two female soldiers and an 80-year-old man — were released in Gaza Thursday as the third hostages-for-prisoners swap agreed to by Israel and Hamas got underway, but the chaotic nature of the handover of two of the Israelis angered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the extent that he delayed his country's part of the exchange until later in the day.

Kidnapped Israeli soldier Agam Berger was released by Hamas, the first of three hostages due to be freed in Gaza on Thursday in connection with a weeks-long ceasefire between Israel and the militant group.

Among those to be freed is Arbel Yehoud, whose release was at the center of a dispute that threatened to unravel the fragile ceasefire deal.