Qatar: Israel and Hamas are at the “closest point” of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza

Qatar, the mediating country in negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas, says the parties are at the “closest point” they have been in recent months to achieving to an agreement.

Negotiations on the fighting in the Gaza Strip continued on Tuesday in Qatar. A spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry said discussions on the final details were ongoing.

The AP news agency reported that the first phase of the proposed three-step deal will begin with the gradual release of 33 hostages held by Hamas, including women, children and the elderly, over a six-week period. .

The agency said that in return, Israeli forces would allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza and release imprisoned Palestinians.

Hamas added in a statement that the talks were in their final stages and that it hoped this round of negotiations would end with a “clear and complete” agreement.