Qatar and Egypt, guarantors of the Gaza ceasefire, called on Saturday for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of an international stabilization force as the necessary next steps in fully implementing the fragile agreement.

The measures were spelled out in the U.S.- and U.N.-backed peace plan that has largely halted fighting, though the warring parties have yet to agree on how to move forward from the deal¡¯s first phase.

Its initial steps saw Israeli troops pull back behind a so-called ¡°yellow line¡± within Gaza¡¯s borders, while Palestinian militant group Hamas released the living hostages it still held and handed over the remains of all but one of the deceased.