Relatives of released hostages were smiling on Tuesday after Hamas released their loved ones as part of a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The Israeli government released footage of freed hostage Ethan Horn and Omri Miran meeting with their families after more than two years in captivity.

Dalia Cusnir-Horn, sister-in-law of Eitan Horn, spoke to The Associated Press outlining the difficulties Ethan faced in captivity.

"He said that the last few months since the deal collapsed and Israel went back into fighting was harder. There was almost less food or not so much food once again, very little water and dirty water, and that the fact that they didn't know what's going on," she said.

She did say that the family were very happy that the ceasefire between the Israeli government and Hamas finally happened and that it was not only an deal to bring back the hostages but a wider agreement for peace in the region.

Israel and Hamas moved ahead on a key first step of the tenuous Gaza ceasefire agreement on Monday by freeing hostages and prisoners, raising hopes that the U.S.-brokered deal might lead to a permanent end to the two-year war that ravaged the Palestinian territory.

But thornier issues such as whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza — and the question of Palestinian statehood — remain unresolved, highlighting the fragility of an agreement that for now only pauses the deadliest conflict in the history of Israel and the Palestinians.

AP Video: Ami Bentov