Qatar confirmed this Saturday (16) that “diplomatic efforts” are underway for a new truce agreement in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, which would allow the release of more hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
“Qatar affirmed its ongoing diplomatic efforts to renew the humanitarian pause and expressed its hope to build on the progress made to reach a comprehensive and sustainable agreement to end the war,” Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. communicated.
Qatar, mediator between Israel and Hamas, hopes the new truce will stop what it called “the bloodshed of our Palestinian brothers” and “lead to serious negotiations and the launch of a political process that produces a comprehensive, permanent and just peace “.
Hamas and Israel reached an agreement – brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the US – for a truce on November 24, which allowed for a week's release of 105 hostages (24 of them foreigners) in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Although not officially confirmed, Israeli press reports suggest that Mossad chief David Barnea traveled to Doha to meet with Qatari mediators on the orders of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under increasing pressure from the hostages' families. .
After news of the three accidental deaths broke last night, hundreds of people, mainly family and friends of the hostages, spontaneously took to the streets of Tel Aviv to demand that the government meet to negotiate a new deal to release the remaining prisoners with life.
Additionally, this week, Israeli troops captured the bodies of five hostages killed in captivity during their ground offensive inside the Strip.
“Despite the serious catastrophe, no one from the war cabinet spoke to the families, no one explained how to avoid the next catastrophe, no one,” said Haim Rubinstein, spokesman for the group of families of kidnapped and missing people in Israel.
On December 2, the day after the seven-day truce in the Gaza Strip ended, Netanyahu ordered his negotiating team in Qatar to return to Israel, saying negotiations to release more prisoners had reached an “impasse.” .
#Qatar #confirms #diplomatic #efforts #truce #Gaza #Strip