Qatar: The ceasefire agreement in Gaza is in the “final stages” | news

Supervisors say negotiations have reached their “closest point” yet, with expectations of an agreement imminent.

Qatar said the ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza had reached its “closest point” yet.

Majid Al-Ansari, spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press conference in Doha on Tuesday that negotiations to end the 15-month-old conflict have reached their final stages. Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, has sought to water down the agreement for several months.

Al-Ansari said: “A draft agreement was delivered to both Hamas and Israel, and the main obstacles on the main controversial issues between the two sides were addressed.”

He continued: “The current discussions in Doha focus on finalizing the remaining details.” “Today, we are the closest we have ever been to reaching an agreement.”

The speaker expected that it would be implemented Ceasefire agreement It will happen “very soon after it’s finished.”

Ansari added: “We believe that we (Qatar) were able, through negotiations and through our partners in Egypt and the United States, to reduce many of the differences between the two parties.”

However, he cautioned against setting expectations too high until an official announcement is made.

He added: “We believe that we are in an advanced stage, and we believe that we are in the final stage, but it is clear that there will be no announcement until the announcement is made.” “So, we shouldn’t be too excited about what’s happening now. But we are certainly optimistic.”

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have spent the past year trying To mediate in the end To the 15-month-long war and secure the release of dozens of prisoners captured during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. About 100 Israelis remain captive inside Gaza, although the Israeli army believes that at least a third of them are dead. .

The Israeli military bombing of Gaza killed more than 46,000 people and injured nearly 110,000, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

What’s in the deal?

According to details leaked to the Israeli media, the ceasefire agreement reached will be implemented in three stages.

In the first phase, 33 Israeli prisoners held in Gaza will be released. Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners for every female soldier it releases, and 30 Palestinian prisoners for the release of the remaining detained civilians.

The second phase begins after 16 days, and focuses on negotiations to release the remaining prisoners. The final phase will address long-term arrangements, including the formation of an alternative government in Gaza and reconstruction efforts.

Reports also said that Israel would completely withdraw from the Philadelphia Corridor – the strip of land between the Gaza and Egypt borders – at the end of the first phase of the deal.