Israeli foreign minister reports progress in Gaza ceasefire and hostage talks
Share:
Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy attends Qatar talks amid reports of breakthrough in negotiations. Israel’s foreign minister has described progress in talks for a Gaza ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages amid intensifying indirect negotiations in Qatar attended by Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy.
Gideon Saar, speaking at a joint press conference with his Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said Israel was working hard to reach a deal. Israel and Hamas have been holding indirect talks for more than a year mediated by Qatar, the US and Egypt but they have previously stalled over issues including the exchange of hostages for Palestinians held in Israeli jails, whether a ceasefire is permanent and the extent of the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Officials on both sides stopped short of confirming that a final draft had been reached in Qatar – which would still need to be agreed by both sides to bring an end to the war – but described progress after reports of a midnight “breakthrough” in talks attended by Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy to the region.
The US president, Joe Biden, had on Sunday stressed to the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the “immediate need” for a ceasefire and a hostage release deal, the White House said in a readout of their conversation. Biden urged the return of the Israeli hostages still held captive in Gaza with an increase in humanitarian aid enabled by a stoppage in the fighting under the deal, it said, as US officials race to reach an agreement before Trump, takes office on 20 January.
