Israeli airstrikes killed 14 Palestinians in Gaza and another 10 were killed while seeking food aid, hospital officials in the embattled enclave told The Associated Press on Saturday, as U.S.-led ceasefire efforts appeared to gain momentum after nearly 21 months of war.

Hospital officials in Gaza say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 38 Palestinians, while Israel was sending a ceasefire negotiating team to Qatar ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Whit

The deal comes more than 20 months into the conflict -- and more than three months after a previous deal ended.

Hamas announced on Friday that it had “submitted a positive response” to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, opening the path toward a deal to halt the conflict after months of failed efforts.

Hamas has submitted its response to a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal, a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations told Reuters on Friday, describing the response as a positive one that should "facilitate reaching a deal.