Hamas says 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire talks underway

Talks have started on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, the spokesperson for the Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Tuesday.

The first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into force on Jan. 19 after 15 months of war and involved a halt to fighting, the release of some of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas and the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners, Reuters reports.

Phase two of the three-phase deal is intended to focus on agreements on the release of the remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

Hamas said on Tuesday that talks on the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel have begun, focusing on shelter, relief, and reconstruction in the devastated Palestinian enclave.

"Currently, we focus on shelter, relief, and reconstruction for our people in the Gaza Strip," Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanou said in a statement.