Qatar has announced that Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement prohibiting the delivery of aid to residents of the besieged Palestinian territory and facilitating the transportation of medicines to Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip.
The agreement, according to a statement from Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, will exchange the delivery of medication to Israeli captives held by Hamas, the governing group in Gaza, for humanitarian assistance to be delivered to civilians in “the most affected and vulnerable areas” of the territory.
According to a spokesperson for the Ministry, Majed al-Ansari, medication and aid are scheduled to depart Doha on Wednesday for the Egyptian city of El Arish in preparation for their delivery into the Gaza Strip.
He stated that Qatar and France facilitated the collaboration agreement.
Earlier, Philippe Lalliot, director of the Crisis Centre of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made a statement. He mentioned that the families of some of the Israeli hostages had conceived the initial concept weeks into the negotiations.
Detached in France, individualized medical supplies designated for multiple months would be provided to each of the forty-five hostages. The International Committee of the Red Cross will carry out ground coordination.
Negotiations for Release of Captives
About 240 persons were captured by Hamas during their October 7 attack on southern Israel, which killed at least 1,139.
In reaction to the assault, Israel engulfed Gaza in a destructive siege, bombardment, and ground invasion. The Israeli assault has claimed the lives of over 24,000 individuals, according to Palestinian authorities.
In late November, a week-long cessation of hostilities ensued. Over a hundred captives were liberated during this period after protracted negotiations facilitated by Qatar and the United States. Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from prisons in exchange.
On Tuesday, the White House stated that US Middle East Envoy Brett McGurk had been in Doha for several days. He was there to discuss the possibility of an agreement involving the release of captives.
John Kirby, a spokesman for national security, informed reporters that McGurk and the Qataris were engaged in “extremely serious and intensive discussions” regarding another agreement.
“We are optimistic that it will produce fruit in the near future,” he stated.
