AhlulBayt News Agency: The official spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Al-Ansari, said the negotiations for ceasefire in the Gaza Strip “are at the final stages,” adding “until there is an announcement, we shouldn’t be over-excited about what’s happening right now.”
Al-Ansari said on Tuesday during the weekly press briefing from Doha, “We will not go into details, but the draft has been delivered to the two parties and talks are now underway on the final details.”
He stressed that “there is no time limit for announcing the agreement, but we remain optimistic,” elaborating that “the pending details between the two parties are currently being discussed, and the largest part is related to implementation.”
He pointed out that there is “positive engagement by both parties in the negotiations, and implementation will take place shortly after the announcement of the agreement.”
Al-Ansari added, “We in Qatar have always stressed our position stipulating the necessity of ending the Israeli occupation. Talking about how to manage Gaza after the agreement is a Palestinian decision.”
He stressed that the mediators will be “guarantors of the agreement”, appreciating the efforts exerted by the US administrations of current US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, with the launch of a “final round” of talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and exchanging prisoners.”
Meanwhile, the French News Agency quoted an informed source as saying that the Doha meetings, on Tuesday, “aim to put the final touches on the remaining details of the deal,” in the presence of the head of the Israeli intelligence agency (Mossad) David Barnea, and the envoys of Biden, Brett McGurk, and Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
The spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry said, “We found support for the Qatari mediation internationally and regionally… and we are not concerned with Israeli domestic politics except in what affects the course of the negotiations.”
Aid and Rafah Crossing
In the same context, the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper quoted Egyptian sources as saying that there are preparations to operate the Rafah Crossing to bring in aid and receive Israeli and Palestinian prisoners, noting that humanitarian aid and fuel will be brought in through the Rafah Crossing from the first day of the ceasefire.
The sources indicated that the start of the travel of patients and the wounded will be a week after the agreement come into effect, affirming that mobile homes, tents, and engineering machinery to remove rubble will be brought in as well.
On Monday, Qatar sent a draft agreement for Gaza ceasefire and prisoners exchange between Israel and Hamas, in a first step aimed at ending the ongoing war of extermination on the Strip for 15 months.
Just one week before Trump took office, officials said that a breakthrough had been achieved in the talks hosted by Doha, and that an agreement might be imminent.
According to the draft agreement, which is based on three stages, 33 Israeli captives will be released in the first stage, including children, women, female soldiers, men over fifty, wounded and sick people.
If the first phase goes as planned, negotiations on a second phase will begin on the 16th day after the agreement enters into force.
During the second phase, the remaining living captives, including soldiers and men of military age, will be released, in addition to the return of the bodies of captives killed in Israeli raids.
The third and final phase will deal with long-term arrangements, including discussions on an alternative government in the Gaza Strip and plans for its reconstruction.
Meanwhile, Hamas said it has informed the leaders of the Palestinian factions about the progress of the negotiations to halt the war of extermination in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday that it had conducted a series of contacts and consultations with the leaders of the factions, updating them on the progress made in the ongoing negotiations in Doha.
The leaders of the national forces and factions expressed their satisfaction with the progress of the negotiations, stressing the need for general national readiness for the next phase and its requirements.
Hamas leaders and various forces stressed the continuation of communication and consultation until the accomplishment of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which has reached its final stages, expressing their hope that this round of negotiations will lead to a clear and comprehensive agreement.
/129
Al-Ansari said on Tuesday during the weekly press briefing from Doha, “We will not go into details, but the draft has been delivered to the two parties and talks are now underway on the final details.”
He stressed that “there is no time limit for announcing the agreement, but we remain optimistic,” elaborating that “the pending details between the two parties are currently being discussed, and the largest part is related to implementation.”
He pointed out that there is “positive engagement by both parties in the negotiations, and implementation will take place shortly after the announcement of the agreement.”
Al-Ansari added, “We in Qatar have always stressed our position stipulating the necessity of ending the Israeli occupation. Talking about how to manage Gaza after the agreement is a Palestinian decision.”
He stressed that the mediators will be “guarantors of the agreement”, appreciating the efforts exerted by the US administrations of current US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, with the launch of a “final round” of talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and exchanging prisoners.”
Meanwhile, the French News Agency quoted an informed source as saying that the Doha meetings, on Tuesday, “aim to put the final touches on the remaining details of the deal,” in the presence of the head of the Israeli intelligence agency (Mossad) David Barnea, and the envoys of Biden, Brett McGurk, and Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
The spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry said, “We found support for the Qatari mediation internationally and regionally… and we are not concerned with Israeli domestic politics except in what affects the course of the negotiations.”
Aid and Rafah Crossing
In the same context, the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper quoted Egyptian sources as saying that there are preparations to operate the Rafah Crossing to bring in aid and receive Israeli and Palestinian prisoners, noting that humanitarian aid and fuel will be brought in through the Rafah Crossing from the first day of the ceasefire.
The sources indicated that the start of the travel of patients and the wounded will be a week after the agreement come into effect, affirming that mobile homes, tents, and engineering machinery to remove rubble will be brought in as well.
On Monday, Qatar sent a draft agreement for Gaza ceasefire and prisoners exchange between Israel and Hamas, in a first step aimed at ending the ongoing war of extermination on the Strip for 15 months.
Just one week before Trump took office, officials said that a breakthrough had been achieved in the talks hosted by Doha, and that an agreement might be imminent.
According to the draft agreement, which is based on three stages, 33 Israeli captives will be released in the first stage, including children, women, female soldiers, men over fifty, wounded and sick people.
If the first phase goes as planned, negotiations on a second phase will begin on the 16th day after the agreement enters into force.
During the second phase, the remaining living captives, including soldiers and men of military age, will be released, in addition to the return of the bodies of captives killed in Israeli raids.
The third and final phase will deal with long-term arrangements, including discussions on an alternative government in the Gaza Strip and plans for its reconstruction.
Meanwhile, Hamas said it has informed the leaders of the Palestinian factions about the progress of the negotiations to halt the war of extermination in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday that it had conducted a series of contacts and consultations with the leaders of the factions, updating them on the progress made in the ongoing negotiations in Doha.
The leaders of the national forces and factions expressed their satisfaction with the progress of the negotiations, stressing the need for general national readiness for the next phase and its requirements.
Hamas leaders and various forces stressed the continuation of communication and consultation until the accomplishment of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which has reached its final stages, expressing their hope that this round of negotiations will lead to a clear and comprehensive agreement.
/129