“The pause will begin at 7:00am (0500 GMT) on Friday… and the first batch of civilian hostages will be handed over at approximately 4:00pm (1400 GMT) on the same day,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari, according to AFP.

Thirteen people would freed initially, all women and children from the same families, Ansari said.

“Obviously every day will include a number of civilians as agreed to total 50 within the four days,” the spokesperson added.