'Positive atmosphere' to start talks on 2nd phase of Gaza truce: Qatar

Qatar reported a "positive atmosphere" to start negotiations for the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

"There is a positive atmosphere that may encourage the start of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told a press conference in Doha on Tuesday.

He, however, noted that the talks have not started yet, expressing hope that the negotiations will start "soon."

Ansari said the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza was "insufficient," stressing that it "must not turn into a bargaining chip."

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said early Tuesday that the second-phase negotiations of the Gaza deal will start this week.

Sa'ar said that Israel will demand a "full demilitarisation" of Gaza, according to The Jerusalem Post newspaper.

The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal has been in place since January 19, pausing Israel’s genocidal war that has killed nearly 48,300 Palestinians and left the enclave in ruins.

Under the agreement, 19 Israeli captives and five Thai workers have so far been released in exchange for 1,135 Palestinian prisoners.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.