So far, Qatari mediation has led to the release of four captives before talks appeared to stall due to the intensifying Israeli bombardment.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani lauded the constructive role played by Qatar along with Jordan and Egypt in the Israeli war on Gaza, stressing the imperative for collaborative efforts on a global scale.
“Countries which, since the beginning of the crisis, have maintained a constructive attitude and represent solid points of reference for all the initiatives of recent weeks, we continue to maintain constant contact with these and with other countries in the area,” the diplomat said.
“It is also thanks to them that the opening of humanitarian corridors towards Gaza has been made possible.”
In particular, Tajani applauded Doha’s contribution.
He acknowledged Qatar’s ongoing efforts not only in facilitating the evacuation of foreigners from Gaza but also in orchestrating a delicate mediation initiative for the release of hostages, a role that has garnered international praise.
“Qatar, in addition to facilitating the evacuation of foreigners from Gaza, has for weeks been conducting a delicate – and praiseworthy- mediation effort for the release of the hostages,” the Italian diplomat said.
Qatar, which hosts a Hamas political office, has been at the forefront of mediation discussions between the group and Israeli authorities, specifically focusing on civilian captives.
Hamas captured some 242 Israelis and foreigners during the ‘Al Aqsa Flood’ operation on October 7, in which the Palestinian group managed to infiltrate occupied territories through air, land and sea.
So far, Qatari mediation has led to the release of four captives before talks appeared to stall due to the intensifying Israeli bombardment.
Tajani went on to highlighting the urgency of the situation in Gaza and the necessity to partner with nations worldwide to develop sustainable solutions.
The focus was set on facilitating vital access to necessities such as food, water, and medicines in Gaza, as well as ensuring the safe evacuation of the injured and foreign nationals.
After the Hamas attack on October 7, Israel cut off supplies of water, electricity, fuel and food to the besieged enclave, which is home to 2.4 million Palestinians.
From the start of the Israeli war in Gaza on October 7 until October 20, an estimated 2,100 aid trucks were expected to have entered Gaza via the Rafah border crossing, yet none managed to do so.
Following the reopening of the Rafah border for humanitarian cargo on October 21, the daily average of confirmed truck crossings has been less than 30% of the typical daily average for Rafah alone and less than 10% of the normal daily average for all crossing points, the Relief Web said in its latest report on 14 November.
Only one of the 24 hospitals with in-patient capacity in the northern part of Gaza are still operational, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. The Al-Shifa hospital complex, the largest in the region, has ceased operations as it ran out of fuel earlier this week on 11 November.
Qatari mediation
Meanwhile, mediators from Qatar endeavoured to broker an agreement between Hamas and Israel on Wednesday, aiming to secure the release of approximately 50 civilian hostages from Gaza in return for a three-day ceasefire, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters.
Coordinated with the United States, the deal would also entail Israel releasing Palestinian women and children from its jails and increasing the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The potential agreement would represent the largest release of hostages held by Hamas since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza.
While Hamas has agreed to the general terms of the deal, Israel, which has launched military actions in Gaza, has not yet finalised negotiations on the specifics, the official stated, Reuters reported.
On Monday, Hamas once again pointed to deliberate stalling by Israel in Qatar-mediated negotiations aimed at securing the release of dozens of captives held in Gaza.
Al Qassam Brigade’s spokesman Abu Obaida said “Qatari mediation has led efforts” to release 100 Israeli captives in exchange for 200 Palestinian children and 75 women currently in Israeli prisons without charge or trial.
“We informed the mediators we could release the hostages if we obtained five days of truce … and passage of aid to all of our people throughout the Gaza Strip, but the enemy is procrastinating,” the spokesperson said in an audio recording posted on the group’s Telegram channel.
“The truce should include a complete ceasefire and allow aid and humanitarian relief everywhere in the Gaza Strip,” he asserted.
The number of Palestinian women and children to be released by Israel as part of the discussed deal remains unknown.
The focus of the Qatari-led negotiations has shifted in recent weeks, with the current emphasis on the release of 50 civilian prisoners in exchange for a three-day truce.
Successful implementation of this proposed deal would require Hamas to provide a complete list of remaining civilian hostages held in Gaza.
However, a more comprehensive release of all hostages is not currently part of the ongoing discussions, the official noted.