A spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry stated on Tuesday that the country is “hopeful” for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and is working to reach a deal before Ramadan.
The gas-rich Gulf state, which is home to Hamas’s political bureau, has played a significant role in mediating negotiations between Egypt, Israel, the United States, and Palestinian militants.
“We remain hopeful, not necessarily optimistic, that we can announce something today or tomorrow, but we remain hopeful that we can get to some kind of agreement,” Majed al-Ansari told a regular briefing.
“Obviously, we said that Ramadan is going to be a point of contention, it’s going to be a point of confrontation, that we are going to push for a pause before the beginning of Ramadan.
“We are all aiming towards that target, but the situation is still fluid on the ground,” he added.
Ansari was speaking after US President Joe Biden said a new ceasefire and hostage release could start as soon as Monday, ahead of the Muslim holy month that will begin around March 11.
“Till now we don’t have an agreement, we are still working on the negotiations on all sides,” Ansari said.
The health ministry in Gaza, which is managed by Hamas, reports that at least 29,878 Palestinians have died as a result of Israel’s air, land, and sea battle against Hamas in reprisal for its lethal attacks on southern Israel on October 7.
At least 1,160 people were killed when Hamas assaulted military installations and agricultural villages around the Gaza Strip, according to an AFP count of Israeli government statistics.
About 30 of the 250 hostages that were taken are believed to be dead, according to Israel, but 130 of them are still in Gaza.
Over 100 hostages were freed during a one-week ceasefire in November, including 80 Israelis who were set free in return for over 240 Palestinians who were detained in Israel.
Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators met in Doha on Sunday for talks also attended by Israeli and Hamas representatives, state-linked Egyptian media said.
The Doha talks followed a meeting in Paris, without Hamas, where representatives “came to an understanding among the four of them about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for temporary ceasefire would look like”, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN.
