DOHA: Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that mediation efforts to broker a truce in Gaza were “ongoing”, after several rounds of high-level talks without a breakthrough to halt the ongoing Israeli bombardment campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 41,252 Palestinians.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told reporters that diplomatic channels remain open and that negotiations are continuing. “The efforts are still ongoing and channels of communication remain open… the goals and visits and meetings are ongoing.”
Months of behind-the-scenes truce talks mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to halt Israeli bombardments and secure release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, apart from a one-week truce beginning in late November.
Majed al-Ansari said that discussions and meetings are continuing in Doha and Cairo, following the framework proposed by US President Joe Biden in May and a “bridging proposal” presented in August.
The US State Department has been actively involved in these negotiations. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Egypt later this week to further discuss the ceasefire efforts, marking his tenth visit to the region since on October 7. Despite these extensive diplomatic efforts, a breakthrough has not been achieved.
Dr. @majedalansari, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the weekly media briefing:
When it comes to what was announced by the Israeli side yesterday regarding return to the North.
Now, the unspoken truth here is that the victim of this war are normal human… pic.twitter.com/Xn4D73j84t— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) September 17, 2024
The US State Department said on Monday that Washington is working “expeditiously” on a new proposal to address the situation. However, the specifics of any new proposals have not been disclosed.
After in-person talks last month in Egypt and Qatar broke up without a final agreement, Washington indicated that mediators were preparing to present another adapted framework for a ceasefire.
Majed al-Ansari refrained from commenting on whether any new proposals had been relayed to Israel or Hamas. “I cannot comment on the prospects of a deal taking place right now but I can tell you that we remain hopeful and we continue with our efforts.”
“When it comes to the possibility of a ceasefire deal taking place anytime soon, of course we remain hopeful at every juncture,” he said.
The ongoing conflict has had a devastating impact on Gaza, with the latest reports from the territory’s health ministry stating that over 41,252 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed due to the relentless Israeli bombardment.
Hamas said its delegation met Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Doha last week to discuss a ceasefire and potential hostage and prisoner exchange, again without indicating that any breakthrough had been reached.
Pressure for a ceasefire has intensified in Israel following the recovery of six hostages’ bodies from a Gaza tunnel earlier this month. Despite external calls for a resolution, both Israel and Hamas have shown resistance to altering their entrenched negotiating positions.
Meanwhile, Israel on Tuesday announced an expansion of its military objectives, now including a broader focus on Hezbollah along its northern border with Lebanon. This escalation follows the ongoing conflict in Gaza and further complicates the prospects for a ceasefire agreement.
