‘We will announce any direct results once they are reached,' says Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Qatar said Tuesday that negotiations aimed at ending Israel's genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are ongoing, but it is not possible to set a timeline for their conclusion.
The statement came from Majed Al-Ansari, advisor to Qatar's prime minister and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a weekly briefing in the capital Doha, according to a ministry release.
Al-Ansari emphasized that discussions remain at a “technical level” and reaffirmed Qatar's commitment to continuing mediation efforts despite challenges.
“Qatar always believes in the necessity of pursuing these efforts, no matter how difficult the circumstances,” he said.
Last Friday, an Israeli delegation returned to Doha to resume indirect negotiations with the Palestinian group Hamas mediated by Qatar and Egypt with the aim of finalizing a prisoner exchange and securing a cease-fire.
Al-Ansari noted that representatives from all sides meet regularly in Doha and Cairo but cautioned that there is no timeline or specific expectations for the negotiations.
“We will announce any direct results once they are reached,” he said.
For over a year, Hamas has expressed its readiness to finalize a deal and even agreed in May 2024 to a proposal by US President Joe Biden. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu withdrew from the agreement, introducing new conditions, including the continuation of military operations in Gaza and refusing to withdraw troops, while Hamas insists on a full cessation of hostilities and an Israeli military withdrawal.
Critics, including Israeli opposition parties and the families of captives, have accused Netanyahu of obstructing an agreement to protect his political position.
Hardline ministers in his coalition, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have threatened to leave the government and topple it if a cease-fire is accepted.
Israel holds over 10,300 Palestinian prisoners, while Hamas is said to be holding around 100 Israeli captives in Gaza. The group also said that dozens of captives had died in indiscriminate Israeli airstrikes.
The Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed almost 46,000 people, most of them women and children, since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
In November last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
