Israel and Hamas signaled on Saturday they were preparing for the next phase of ceasefire negotiations, as mediators pushed ahead with talks to extend the fragile 42-day truce that began in January. Hamas said there were "positive indicators" for the start of the ceasefire's second-phase talks but did not elaborate.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would send a delegation to Doha on Monday for truce talks. Under the first phase, Gaza militants handed over 25 living hostages and eight bodies in exchange for the release of about 1,