DOHA: Mediator Qatar said on Tuesday it was waiting for a “clear position” from Israel on a proposed Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal outlined by US President Joe Biden.
During a regular press conference, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said that there has been no definitive response from Israel, dampening hopes for an immediate resolution of the Gaza conflict.
“We have yet to see a very clear position from the Israeli government towards the principles laid out by Biden,” Ansari remarked. He highlighted the conflicting statements from Israeli ministers, which have cast doubt on the unity of Israel’s position regarding the proposed ceasefire deal.
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has also not provided a firm response, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the negotiations, Ansari said.
Ansari noted that while progress has been made and proposals have been discussed with both parties, confidence in reaching a consensus remains low. “We have read and seen the contradictory statements coming in from Israeli ministers, which does not give us much confidence of there being a unified position in Israel over this current proposal on the table,” Ansari said.
Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, has been engaged in extensive negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire and facilitating the exchange of hostages and prisoners. Despite intermittent pauses in the fighting, such as a seven-day break in November that led to the release of over 100 hostages, sustained peace has remained elusive.
US President Biden’s recent announcement of a new three-stage roadmap towards a comprehensive ceasefire, including the release of hostages held by Hamas, has injected fresh hope into the peace negotiations. However, the success of the proposal hinges on the willingness of both parties, Israel and Hamas, to commit to the outlined framework.
According to Biden’s plan, the initial phase would involve a six-week period during which Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza, accompanied by an initial exchange of hostages and prisoners. Subsequent phases would focus on negotiating a lasting ceasefire and initiating the reconstruction of Gaza.
In its final phase, the plan would lead to the reconstruction of the devastated Palestinian territory without Hamas in power, Biden said.
The spokesperson emphasized the need for caution in navigating the complex negotiations. Qatar, leveraging its role as a mediator, continues to impress upon both sides the urgency of reaching an agreement to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “We are using our leverage as a mediator…to make sure that both sides understand the gravity of the situation and the need to reach an agreement.”
“There is momentum internationally, driven by the US… but we need to be very cautious,” Ansari said.
The US president and Qatar’s ruler spoke on Monday, when, according to the White House, Biden told the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, that Hamas was the only obstacle to a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel, and urged him to press the group to accept it.
Negotiations ground to a halt in early May as Israel began ground operations in Rafah in southern Gaza.
Previous frameworks presented by mediators have run aground over Hamas’s demand that any truce lead to a permanent ceasefire, while Israel has said it must be allowed to pursue its bombardment campaign in Gaza.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Palestinian enclave since October 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in the enclave.
Palestinian death toll from relentless Israeli attacks on Gaza since last October has reached 36,550, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said on Tuesday.
At least 82,959 people have also been injured in the onslaught, the ministry added in a statement.
“Israeli forces killed 71 people, and injured 182 others in seven ‘massacres’ against families in the last 24 hours,” the ministry said.
“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” the ministry added.
البث المباشر للإحاطة الاعلامية الأسبوعية للمتحدث الرسمي لوزارة الخارجية الدكتور ماجد بن محمد الأنصاري pic.twitter.com/Z5ExRHfZ1P
— الخارجية القطرية (@MofaQatar_AR) June 4, 2024
