Israeli Foreign Minister Announces 'Progress' in Ceasefire Negotiations in Qatar
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Jerusalem, Jan 13 (NationPress) Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated on Monday that significant progress has been made during the discussions in Qatar regarding a ceasefire agreement aimed at facilitating the release of hostages held by Hamas.
"There is progress in the negotiations to release the hostages," Sa'ar remarked during a joint statement with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who is visiting the area.
"Israel is very eager to secure the release of the hostages and is diligently working to finalize a deal," Sa'ar added.
A major obstacle in the indirect negotiations has been the type of ceasefire sought. Hamas is advocating for a permanent truce, whereas Israel is pushing for a temporary pause, retaining the option to resume military action if deemed necessary for security.
The Doha discussions are intended to bring an end to over 15 months of intense conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The Israeli delegation, led by Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet domestic security agency head Ronen Bar, arrived in Doha on Saturday for talks with US President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Another Israeli official also mentioned on Monday that the negotiators have made substantial progress in the discussions in Qatar regarding a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement, although no final agreement has yet been reached.
"The direction appears to be positive," the official stated on the condition of anonymity, adding that Israel has made concessions in order to reach an agreement and is currently awaiting a response from Hamas.
If both parties come to an agreement, the specifics of the deal could be finalized "within days," the official noted.
In the meantime, an Israeli government official has refuted media claims that Qatar has provided "a final" draft agreement to both Israel and Hamas, as reported by Israel's state-owned Kan TV news.
The proposed arrangement reportedly consists of three phases, during which Hamas would release the hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli facilities.
Israel has been executing a large-scale military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip as a retaliation to a Hamas attack across the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and around 250 hostages taken. The health authorities in Gaza reported on Sunday that the Israeli airstrikes have claimed at least 46,565 lives.
