Gaza: Qatar claims “positive” response from Hamas on hostage deal Israel is studying

Qatar claims it has received a “positive” response from Hamas on the “general framework of the agreement on hostages” still held in the Gaza Strip, since then carried out by the Hebrew state, in return for a ceasefire in retaliation for terrorist attacks by the Palestinian Islamic movement. Qatar’s press release, however, did not specify the nature of this response.

In a statement, the Palestinian movement Hamas also indicated that it has submitted its response to Egyptian and Qatari mediators regarding the proposed ceasefire with Israel, including the fate of hostages from October 7. The press release did not specify the nature of this response.

“We received feedback from Hamas regarding the general framework of the hostage agreement. There are some comments in this response, but overall it is positive,” Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abderrahman Al-Thani said at a press conference in Doha alongside US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

Blinken will respond to Israel

An announcement that comes a day after Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement, in which he assured the cease-fire agreement that “Hamas demands that we will not accept”. Antony Blinken, who landed in Israel on Tuesday evening, will no doubt try to change that during a debate on the subject with Israeli executives scheduled for Wednesday. The head of American diplomacy considers it “essential” to reach an agreement on the hostages.

The US Secretary of State confirmed that he would transmit to Israel on Wednesday the Palestinian Hamas response to the draft agreement regarding those still held hostage in the Gaza Strip. “There is still a lot of work to be done. But we believe that an agreement is possible and even necessary, and we will continue to work tirelessly to achieve it,” he said in Doha on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Tuesday evening that Israeli intelligence was studying Hamas’ response. “Hamas’ response was transmitted to the Mossad (Israeli foreign intelligence services) through a Qatari intermediary. The details are being carefully considered by officials involved in the negotiations,” a statement from Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said.