Naim revealed that there were negotiations led by Qatar to ‘sign an annex’ over implementing a humanitarian corridor to for aid to Gaza’s population of two million.
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim has praised Qatar’s mediation role in securing a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip last week, which took effect on Sunday.
“We know how difficult it is and how much pressure can be exercised against Qatar because of the presence of the Hamas leadership here. Despite this, because of its commitment towards Palestine[…]Qatar was ready to deal with all these pressures,” Naim told Doha News in an exclusive interview.
The interview on Thursday took place less than 24 hours after Qatar announced that Hamas and Israel reached a deal that would pave the way for a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The deal would end Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, where it has killed nearly 47,000 Palestinians—a figure that excludes thousands of others missing or buried under the rubble.
Hamas and Israel reached the deal following intensified efforts by mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States, after numerous failed rounds of negotiations.
Qatar was on the receiving end of criticism from Western and Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite its crucial diplomatic efforts. Doha has hosted the Hamas political office since 2012 at Washington’s request, which has proven to be effective in mediation efforts.
“I thank the leadership of Qatar, the Amir [Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani] and Prime Minister [Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani] for their patience, commitment to keep pressuring [everyone] to initiate the negotiations again and to try to reach a ceasefire,” Naim said.
The agreement is based on a proposal put forward by outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden last May and is structured in three phases, each lasting 42 days.
The first phase will see the release of 33 Israeli captives, including women soldiers, in return for the release of at least 1,890 Palestinian prisoners.
The first exchange took place on Sunday, when Hamas handed over three female captives in exchange for the release of 90 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
“Humanitarian protocol”
The deal also obliges Israel to allow the entry of aid and re-open the Egypt-Gaza Rafah Crossing, which it invaded, destroyed and occupied on May 6 last year.
Naim revealed that there were “parallel negotiations” led by Qatar to “sign an annex” over implementing a humanitarian corridor to ensure aid reached the Strip’s population of two million.
“There were efforts mainly done by Qatar to sign an annex on the so-called humanitarian accord or humanitarian deal that the mediators—plus the Americans and the UN—and maybe other countries have committed themselves to a humanitarian protocol, to help the Gazans to rebuild their life again,” Naim explained.
Guarantees of the deal
The senior Hamas official added that the movement expects Israel to violate the deal or attempts to sabotage it.
“We are expecting to face some challenges when it comes to implementing the deal, but what is more important is how we can, with the aid of the mediators and different Arab countries[…] help the Palestinians to rebuild their lives from scratch again,” he said.
Naim added that the mediators are the main guarantees that the deal is completed.
“I think the main guarantee is the mediators, the Qataris, the Egyptians and the Americans. We hope that the international pressure and the pressure inside Israel itself will oblige the Israeli government to continue or to be committed to this deal,” he said.
Shift in narrative
Reflecting back on the impact of the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israeli military bases and towns surrounding the Gaza Strip, Naim pointed to the drastic shift in the narrative over the Palestinian cause.
He underlined how social media has exposed Israel’s actions, challenging the long-standing Israeli narrative. Naim also noted how Western media, which previously interviewed him with a bias rooted in the Israeli perspective, has started to reassess its approach.
“I think this has awakened a lot of people around the world that there is something wrong here,” Naim said.
“In the United States…they have blocked or banned TikTok. It is not because of economical reasons, as they say. I’m sure it is because there was more space for the people to talk about what’s happening in Palestine generally, particularly in Gaza,” he explained.