JERUSALEM, Nov 28, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - A truce between Israel and Hamas entered a fifth day on Tuesday after the deal was extended to allow further releases of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

Gaza militants took about 240 captives from southern Israel in an unprecedented October 7 attack that Israeli officials say killed around 1,200 people, most of them civilians.

In response, Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas and unleashed an aerial bombing campaign and ground invasion of Gaza that the Hamas government says has killed nearly 15,000 people, also mostly civilians.

Here are five key developments from the past 24 hours:

- Two-day truce extension -

The initial four-day agreement was scheduled to end at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) on Tuesday, but key mediator Qatar announced that it had been prolonged by 48 hours.

In a statement, Hamas confirmed agreement on the two-day extension "with the same conditions as the previous truce", regarding hostage and prisoner releases.

Israel's government on Monday added another 50 names to the list of prisoners eligible to be freed under the deal, "in the event that a release of additional Israeli hostages is carried out".

A source close to Hamas said 10 Israeli hostages held in Gaza were to be released on Tuesday in exchange for 30 Palestinian prisoners.

- Fourth hostage-prisoner exchange -

The Israeli military said Monday that 11 hostages released in Gaza -- including eight children -- were back on Israeli territory.

Qatar said French, German, and Argentinian dual nationals were among them, bringing the total number of Israeli captives released under the truce to 50.

A further 19 foreign nationals, mostly Thais, have been freed.

Israel's prison authority said early Tuesday that 33 Palestinian prisoners had been released overnight -- taking the total number to 150 since the truce began.

- Humanitarian situation 'catastrophic' -

Janez Lenarcic, an EU commissioner in charge of crisis management, said on Tuesday that Israeli restrictions on fuel supplies to Gaza are hampering humanitarian access required under an UN resolution.

This came after the Hamas-run health ministry said no fuel had arrived for generators at hospitals in the territory's north, despite the pause in fighting.

Also on Tuesday, senior UN official Tor Wennesland said that the truce had allowed an increase in aid delivery, but warned that "the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic and requires the urgent entry of additional aid and supplies".

- US planes to deliver aid -

The United States is sending three aircraft to Egypt from Tuesday to bring humanitarian aid for Gaza during the extended truce, senior US officials said.

The relief flights are the first by the US military since the conflict began.

The aircraft will bring "medical items, food aid, winter items, given that winter's coming in Gaza", a US official said.

- 'Next phase' of Israel-Hamas deal -

US and Israeli intelligence chiefs arrived in Doha to discuss the "next phase" of an Israel-Hamas deal, a source briefed on their visit said Tuesday.

"The director of the CIA and the director of the Israeli National Intelligence Agency are in Doha to meet with the Qatari prime minister", the source told AFP, requesting anonymity due to the talks' sensitivity.

They will discuss "the next phase of a potential deal", adding that Egyptian officials were also present.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah later this week, a US official said Monday.

They will discuss "the future of Gaza and the need to establish an independent Palestinian state", the official said.