With the expectation that the truce in the Gaza Strip will be extended for the third time between Israel and Hamas, Hamas on Wednesday handed over the batch of detainees scheduled to be released today to the International Red Cross, according to an Al Arabiya channel correspondent.

For its part, Hamas announced the release of two Russian women from among the hostages it has been holding in the Gaza Strip since the seventh of last October.

"In response to Putin's efforts"

She said in a statement indicating that the release of the two Russian women comes outside of the truce agreement with Israel, saying that “in response to the efforts of the Russian President, the Hamas movement released today, Wednesday, two female detainees who hold Russian citizenship and who were handed over to the Red Cross a short while ago,” according to Agence France-Presse.

It is noteworthy that earlier, an Israeli source confirmed that a sixth batch of detainees, including 10 Israelis and two Russians, will be released today.

Qatari optimism about extending the truce

This comes as the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman announced on Wednesday that his country is “very optimistic” about the announcement of extending the truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip again in the coming hours.

Majid Al-Ansari told the American CNN network: “We hope that within a few hours we will be able to release the last batch (of detainees), and that we will also be able to announce an extension” of the truce.

He also added: “We are very optimistic that we will announce good news today,” pointing out that negotiations are continuing and that any new extension will be under the same standards as previous agreements.

It's going well

In turn, two Egyptian security sources said on Wednesday that the negotiators seeking to extend the ongoing six-day truce in Gaza believe that it is possible to extend it for another two days.

They added that the number of civilian hostages held by Hamas who will be released upon extension is still being prepared, according to Reuters.

They also noted that negotiations to release more civilian hostages are going well, but the issue of military hostages held by Hamas represents an obstacle.

240 Israelis

It is noteworthy that the Palestinian factions, especially Hamas, have detained approximately 240 Israelis, including Israeli soldiers and officers, as well as foreigners, since the surprise attack they launched on October 7th on Israeli settlements and military bases around the Gaza Strip.

While the truce agreement, which came after weeks of Egyptian, Qatari and American mediation, has so far led to the release of about 180 Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons, in exchange for the release of 66 Israeli women and children as well, in addition to a number of foreigners.< /p>