Qatar and Egypt affirmed their mediation efforts to end Israel’s genocide in Gaza will continue despite recent reports.

Qatar and Egypt stated that their “intensive” mediation efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza will continue, noting that some progress was made during the latest round of talks in Doha.

In a joint statement on Friday, the two mediators also denounced recent reports of a stall in talks as attempts to “influence the course of the negotiation process”.

It comes after U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff had accused Hamas of lacking the desire to achieve a deal, as reports of Israeli and U.S. delegations leaving the Qatari capital emerged.

“Qatar and Egypt affirm the continuation of their intensive efforts in the mediation file of Gaza Strip, aiming to reach an agreement that brings an end to the war, alleviates the humanitarian suffering in the enclave, ensures the protection of civilians, and facilitates the exchange of detainees and prisoners,” the statement released by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday evening read.

The latest round of ceasefire negotiations resumed on July 6 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a delegation to the Qatari capital.

The talks centred around a 60-day truce proposed by mediators Qatar and Egypt.

Despite positive reports that came out in the past few weeks, the key sticking point has proved to be the withdrawal map of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip.

Qatar and Egypt confirmed that “some progress” was made during the latest round, and the pause was a normal occurrence in a lengthy and complex round of negotiations.

“[Qatar and Egypt] affirm that the suspension of negotiations with a view to holding consultations before resuming dialogue once again is a normal procedure within the context of these complex negotiations,” the statement read.

Similarly, the joint statement also warned against getting swayed by “recent leaks circulated by certain media outlets,” which the two nations claimed were done “in attempts to undermine these efforts and influence the course of the negotiation process.”

The statement added: “Such leaks do not reflect reality and originate from parties uninformed about the progress of the negotiations,” instead calling on international media to highlight the ongoing civilian suffering in the Gaza Strip.

While Israeli onslaught in the besieged strip has killed more than 61,700 Palestinians since October 7, 2023 — with thousands still trapped under the rubble — its choking blockade has plunged Gaza into a famine.

Israel has also killed more than 1,000 Palestinians at aid distribution sites, which have been widely labelled as “death traps”.

Several have also died due to malnutrition in recent days, and the figure is only expected to rise as Israel continues to block the entry of aid.