Israel and Hamas will begin indirect negotiations on a second stage of the Gaza ceasefire deal, officials said on Tuesday, as the Palestinian militant group said it would hand over more hostages, including the bodies of two children,

Hamas said Tuesday that it would hand over all six living Israeli hostages due for release under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire this week, as well as the bodies of four dead captives.The fragile Gaza truce took effect on January 19 after more than 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas,

Israel will begin negotiations on a permanent end to the war in Gaza and freeing the remaining living hostages held there, its foreign minister said.

Israel will begin negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal this week, the country’s foreign minister said Tuesday, raising hopes that a fragile truce might be prolonged without hostilities restarting.