Mediators involved in negotiations to resolve the conflict in the Gaza Strip are currently focused on drafting the wording of a ceasefire agreement. However, the process is complicated by a significant lack of trust between the Palestinian movement Hamas and Israel, according to Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari.
“We have been mediating between Hamas and Israel since 2006, but the situation has never been this complicated. There is a complete lack of trust, and we also have to consider the gravity of the trauma from October 7 [2023] for the Israelis and the 40,000 Palestinian killed,” al-Ansari said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
Discussing the ongoing consultations, al-Ansari noted that the assassination of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31 had “slowed everything down.” Despite these challenges, Doha remains confident that “a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will prevent a potential escalation.” He also mentioned that Qatar is keeping Iran informed of the consultations and has “urged them not to expand the war.”
Mediators are currently refining the wording of a ceasefire agreement that could be acceptable to both Israel and Hamas. “We are now working on a 'bridge document' proposed by the US. The goal is to find language that can be accepted by both sides. A misplaced comma or a single word not carefully checked can delay the entire process,” al-Ansari explained. He also noted that the negotiations are far from reaching a final agreement.
On August 15-16, ceasefire talks and discussions on the release of hostages took place in the Qatari capital. A joint statement by Egypt, Qatar, and the US following these consultations noted that the talks were conducted in a positive atmosphere. During this round of talks, the US, with backing from Qatar and Egypt, presented a proposal aimed at bridging the differences between Hamas and Israel. However, Hamas criticized the US initiative, claiming it only catered to Israel's interests.
The next round of consultations took place in Cairo on August 25. Following meetings with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, Hamas spokesman Izzat al-Rishq announced that the movement’s delegation had left Cairo, reiterating their demand that Israel adhere to the conditions agreed upon by Hamas on July 2. The mediators’ working groups reconvened in Doha on August 28.
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Photo: Al Jazeera English/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS