Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson also revealed that many issues were being discussed, likely referring to shifting conditions between Israel and Hamas.
Technical meetings aimed at finalising a Gaza ceasefire and captives exchange deal between Israel and Palestinian resistance group Hamas are still ongoing, Qatar’s official Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday.
“The technical meetings are still happening between both sides…whether in Doha or Cairo,” Al-Ansari said in his weekly press briefing.
Al-Ansari, who also acts as an adviser to Qatar’s Prime Minster and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said that “a lot of issues are being discussed” in the technical meetings.
“As for expectations, we cannot set a specific timeframe. An agreement will be reached when it is reached,” he stressed.
The official spokesperson declined to go into details “to protect the integrity of the negotiations”.
On Monday, Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea and United States President Joe Biden’s top Middle East envoy Brett McGurk were reported to be in Qatar for the latest round of talks. These discussions, which began in Doha on Friday, come amid growing pressure to finalise a deal before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
Trump has continuously threatened that “all hell is going to break out” if a deal does not come to fruition by the time he comes into office
An anonymous Hamas official had revealed to Reuters that the group had green-lit a list presented by Israel of 34 captives as a part of the ceasefire-captives swap deal.
Qatar-based daily Al Araby Al Jadeed also reported that key mediators had managed to bridge gaps between Hamas and Israel, citing a Palestinian source.
Last year, Hamas had released 109 captives under a week-long truce that ended on December 1, 2023.
Israel claims there are least 96 captives left in the Gaza Strip, including 34 bodies.
During December’s mediation talks, which ultimately stalled, both sides accused each other of obstructing negotiations. Hamas claimed Israel altered its terms at the last minute, particularly regarding Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, where it is conducting a brutal war, widely regarded as a genocide.
Since October 7, more than 45,338 Palestinians have been killed. The actual death toll is believed to be much higher, as thousands more are missing or trapped under the rubble.
Qatar, alongside Egypt, has been a key mediator working towards solidifying a truce, and has been engaged in months of unsuccessful talks between Israel and Hamas.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, newly-appointed Israeli Foreign Ministry Director-General Eden Bar Tal claimed that a successful agreement relies on “those who have leverage on Hamas”, likely to be referring to Qatar despite making no mention of the Gulf state.
“The few countries with special relations to Hamas that are acting as mediators should be putting pressure on Hamas to conclude the deal now,” he added.
