Qatar says Gaza truce talks at ‘final stage’

The outlines of a ceasefire are becoming clearer after fifteen months of a war between Israel and Hamas which has left tens of thousands dead. Qatar, one of the mediating countries where the negotiations are currently taking place, declared on Tuesday January 14 at midday that the discussions were at « stade final ».

“We hope this will lead to an agreement very soon”declared the spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majel Al-Ansari, during a press conference, assuring that the “main problems” blocking this agreement have been resolved, but while calling for caution until an agreement has been announced. Hamas, for its part, declared Tuesday in a statement that it had informed the Palestinian factions of the progress of the ongoing discussions in Doha, which are in “the final phase”hoping that “this round of negotiations will end with a clear and complete agreement”.

A week before Donald Trump’s arrival at the White House, American President Joe Biden also declared Monday evening that an agreement based on an American proposal formulated several months ago was “about to be concluded”. “We are close to an agreement and we can achieve it this week”declared Jake Sullivan, adding: “I’m not making any promises or predictions, but it’s within reach. »

According to a source close to the matter at AFP, the negotiations aim to establish a ceasefire associated with the release of the 94 hostages still held in Gaza, 34 of whom died according to the army. According to a source close to the talks, the latest proposal initially provides for the release of more than thirty Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

More than 60 dead Monday in Gaza City

This is not the first time that the Biden administration has assured that an agreement is close, but these statements are the most affirmative recently from American officials. A source close to the negotiations told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Tuesday that a “last cycle” negotiations were to begin the same day in Doha. These discussions bring together the heads of Israeli intelligence agencies, American envoys and the prime minister of Qatar on one side, and mediators and Hamas on the other, this source said, with a view to “finalize the final details of the agreement”.

Israel, meanwhile, is increasing air attacks on the Palestinian enclave, where 61 Palestinians have been killed in the last twenty-four hours, according to the Hamas-controlled ministry. Civil defense reported Tuesday the death of at least 18 people, including several children, in Israeli air attacks and night bombings. “Schools, homes and even gatherings” were targeted on Monday in Gaza City, its spokesperson, Mahmoud Bassal, told AFP. According to him, Tuesday’s strikes mainly targeted Deir Al-Balah (Center), Gaza City (North) and the region of Khan Younes, in the South.

The Israeli army said it was investigating the reports. Five Israeli soldiers, according to the army, were killed the same day in combat in the north of the territory, where most of the Israeli offensive against Hamas has been concentrated since the fall.

Since the start of the war triggered on October 7, 2023 by the bloody attack of the Islamist movement against Israel, only one one-week truce has been observed at the end of November 2023 and the indirect negotiations carried out since have encountered the intransigence of both camps. But the talks intensified in the run-up to Donald Trump’s return to the presidency of the United States on January 20, in a climate of increased international pressure on the different parties.

The president-elect recently promised” hell “ to the region if the hostages were not released before his return to power. Officials from both camps reported progress in the talks on Monday, leading to the lifting of “the last blocking points” according to a source close to the negotiations. The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Ben Hamad Al Thani, met on Monday with envoys from Joe Biden and Donald Trump, as well as a delegation from Hamas. Joe Biden spoke on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then on Monday with Sheikh Tamim.

In total, 251 people were kidnapped during the attack on October 7, 2023, which led to the death of 1,210 people on the Israeli side, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data. At least 46,584 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the Israeli military campaign of retaliation in Gaza, according to data from the Hamas health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.