Egypt, Qatar US mediators met in Doha for talks attended by Israeli and Hamas representatives(File)
Doha:
Qatar is “hopeful” of a Gaza warfare ceasefire and is pushing for an settlement earlier than Ramadan, its overseas ministry spokesperson mentioned on Tuesday.
The gas-rich Gulf state, which hosts Hamas’s political bureau, has been a key mediator in negotiations involving the Palestinian militants, Israel, the USA and Egypt.
“We stay hopeful, not essentially optimistic, that we will announce one thing at present or tomorrow, however we stay hopeful that we will get to some sort of settlement,” Majed al-Ansari instructed a daily briefing.
“Clearly, we mentioned that Ramadan goes to be some extent of rivalry, it’ll be some extent of confrontation, that we’re going to push for a pause earlier than the start of Ramadan.
“We’re all aiming in direction of that concentrate on, however the scenario remains to be fluid on the bottom,” he added.
Ansari was talking after US President Joe Biden mentioned a brand new ceasefire and hostage launch may begin as quickly as Monday, forward of the Muslim holy month that can start round March 11.
“Until now we do not have an settlement, we’re nonetheless engaged on the negotiations on all sides,” Ansari mentioned.
Israel’s air, land and sea warfare towards Hamas in retaliation for its lethal October 7 assaults on southern Israel has killed at the very least 29,878 folks, the Hamas-run well being ministry in Gaza says.
Hamas attacked rural communities and navy posts bordering the Gaza Strip, leaving at the very least 1,160 folks useless, in response to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Some 250 hostages have been taken, of whom 130 are nonetheless in Gaza, though about 30 are considered useless, Israel says.
A one-week pause in combating in November noticed greater than 100 hostages launched, together with 80 Israelis who have been freed in change for some 240 Palestinians jailed in Israel.
Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators met in Doha on Sunday for talks additionally attended by Israeli and Hamas representatives, state-linked Egyptian media mentioned.
The Doha talks adopted a gathering in Paris, with out Hamas, the place representatives “got here to an understanding among the many 4 of them about what the essential contours of a hostage deal for momentary ceasefire would appear like”, White Home Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan instructed CNN.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
