Israel has decided to send a delegation to Qatar for talks on a possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, an Israeli official said, reviving hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations to end the almost 21-month war.

Hamas said it was ready to start talks "immediately" on a proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the civil defence agency said Israel's ongoing offensive killed 20 people on Saturday.- Civil defence says schools hit - Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said Israeli military operations killed 20 people across the war-battered territory on Saturday.