Qatar says hopes to push Hamas, 'Israel' to next talks phase 'very soon'

Gaza talks mediator Qatar said on Tuesday it hoped 'Israel' and Hamas could be brought to a new phase of negotiations for a peace deal in the Palestinian territory following their October ceasefire agreement.

"We think that we should be pushing the parties to stage two very, very soon," Qatar foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said.

"That includes, of course, the issues that are complicating the situation, like the fighters in the tunnels behind the Yellow Line, like the incidents that take place every couple of days," he added.

The so-called Yellow Line marks the point to which 'Israeli' troops have withdrawn inside the Gaza Strip. Dozens of Hamas fighters remain holed up in tunnels beyond the line, though 'Israel' says it has been targeting and killing them.

Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt secured a long-elusive truce in Gaza, which came into effect on October 10 and has mostly halted two years of fighting between 'Israel' and Hamas.

During the first phase of the Gaza peace plan, initially outlined by US President Donald Trump, Hamas and its allies were due to return all 48 captives they held captive, 20 of whom were still alive.

All but the bodies of two hostages remain in Gaza, Ran Gvili and Sudthisak Rinthalak, but 'Israel' has accused the Palestinian militants of dragging their feet on handing over remains.

Hamas has said the process of retrieving the bodies has been slow because the bodies have been under the vast piles of rubble left by two years of war.

"As we have always said, the logistical situation in Gaza would certainly make it difficult to reach this result," Ansari said, referring to the return of the bodies.

The spokesman added that the return of the remains should not be a hindrance to reaching stage two.

Under the second phase of the deal, which gained UN backing in November, 'Israel' is to withdraw from its positions in the territory, an interim authority is to govern Gaza and an international stabilisation force is to be deployed.

Hamas is also supposed to disarm under Trump's 21-point plan, with members who decommission their weapons allowed to leave Gaza. The group has repeatedly rejected the proposition.