Hamas has begun handing over the fifth group of hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing Egyptian officials.

Earlier, Qatar, one of the main mediators in the agreement to release the hostages held by Hamas said that during the two-day extension of the truce, another 20 hostages would be released. Ten hostages are expected to be released today.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari, in today’s weekly briefing, said the first four days of the truce “were used to increase the number of hostages recognized by Hamas.”

During the implementation of the ceasefire between the two sides, 69 hostages held in Gaza were freed, seven weeks after they were kidnapped during the October 7 attacks in Israel.

As part of the exchange, 150 Palestinians were released from Israeli prisonswhile hundreds of trucks of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and fuel entered Gaza.

Hours before the end of a four-day truce, the implementation of which began on Friday, the two warring sides agreed to a two-day extension that will allow the release of more hostages.

At the same time, as part of efforts to further extend the agreement that will lead to the release of more hostages, the leaders of the American CIA and the Israeli Mossad met with Qatar’s prime minister in Doha today to discuss the “next phase” after the two-day extension ends.

Although conditions on the ground in Gaza remained largely peaceful on Tuesday, the Israeli military said three explosive devices were detonated near its troops in two different locations in the northern Gaza Strip, “violating the framework of the operational ceasefire”.