Qatar assured that it has received a “positive” response from Hamas regarding the new agreement to release hostages in Gaza

Amid diplomatic efforts for an agreement between Israel and Hamas, Qatar’s Foreign Minister said, Mohammed bin Abdelrahman Al Thaniannounced this Tuesday that his country’s mediation team has received a “positive” response from the Palestinian terrorist group regarding the proposed agreement for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

“I would like to inform the media that We have received a response from Hamas regarding the general outline of the hostage agreement. The response includes some comments but in general it is positive,” the Qatari minister said at a press conference in Doha with North American foreign ministers. anthony blinkenWho is on a tour of the Middle East.

Around the same time, Hamas militants confirmed, through a statement, that they gave their response to the main mediators on the ceasefire agreement to stop the war with Israel. “A few moments ago, the Hamas movement conveyed its response to the brothers in Qatar and Egypt on the framework agreement,” the text says, which also mentions “a comprehensive and complete ceasefire.”

Al Thani declined to give details “given the sensitivity of the circumstances”, but was “optimistic” and assured that Israel had already been informed of Hamas’ response.

Meanwhile, Blinken said the United States was “reviewing” the proposal and would discuss it with the Israeli government tomorrow. However, he said it is “essential” to move forward to achieve a future agreement. “There is still a lot of work to do. But we believe an agreement is possible and, indeed, necessary, and we will continue to work tirelessly to achieve it.”The head of North American diplomacy announced this to the press in Doha, after Qatar was informed of its response to the terrorists.

The Secretary of State, who on Monday began his fifth visit to the region since the war in Saudi Arabia began, gave the assurance The agreement “offers a longer pause, the release of hostages and the possibility of more aid.”

“This will obviously be beneficial to everyone and I think it offers the best way forward,” he said.

Blinken recalled that together with Qatar and Egypt, the main mediators in the conflict, “a serious proposal was presented whose purpose was not just to repeat the previous agreement, but to expand it,” in reference to the brief ceasefire that ultimately ended. Had agreed. november. Which allowed the release of 105 Gaza hostages.

The last week of November also means a brief cessation of hostilities, Blinken said. A “substantial increase” in humanitarian assistance, in addition to repairs to Gaza’s “critical infrastructure”.

Blinken also said there was a desire to end any hostilities “in order to pave the diplomatic path toward just and lasting peace and security in the region”, which he considered the best way to ensure “October 7 and the tragic future of October 7th.” The loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives will never happen again.”

“Israel is integrated into the region with security guarantees from its neighbors and partners, as well as a practical, irreversible and timely path towards a Palestinian state living together in peace,” he stressed.

In Blinken’s opinion, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, which he considers the only solution to achieving peace, “would benefit practically everyone in the region.”

Although details of the draft agreement have not been published, the latest leaked information points to the release of 136 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, some of whom are already dead, for a period of 142 days, more than 100 Palestinian prisoners were taken hostage in exchange for the release of .

However, the extremist group demands an Israeli commitment to agree to a permanent ceasefire to end the war as a starting point, which Israel is unwilling to accept because Their goal is to “destroy Hamas.”

Israeli Prime Minister, benjamin netanyahuIsrael had stressed at its weekly meeting with the government cabinet a few days earlier that Israel “will not accept any compromise, nor at any cost” on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

,Hamas has demands that we will not acceptThe president said during a meeting of his party representatives on Monday that the terms of the final agreement “should be similar to the previous agreement” that allowed a ceasefire in November.

The proposed agreement was drawn up a week ago in Paris by representatives of Israel, the United States and the main mediators in the conflict: Egypt and Qatar, and considers a ceasefire in exchange for a hostage exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. it was done.

War broke out in Gaza on October 7 after a brutal terrorist attack by Hamas killed 1,160 people on Israeli territory, mostly civilians, and took about 250 hostage.

Israeli officials say 132 people remain in Gaza, of whom 28 are considered dead.

(With information from EFE and AFP)