Qatar Reports Slight Progress on Gaza Ceasefire
Qatar’s prime minister said on Sunday that talks to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza have made a little progress, but a full agreement between Israel and Hamas is still out of reach.
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"We have seen on Thursday a bit of progress compared to other meetings, yet we need to find an answer for the ultimate question: how to end this war," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as Qatar’s foreign minister.
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Mossad Chief Meets Qatari PM to Push Talks Forward
According to Axios, Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Doha last Thursday to meet with Sheikh Mohammed to push ceasefire efforts forward. However, Sheikh Mohammed didn’t share exactly which parts of the negotiations had moved forward. He stressed that Hamas and Israel are still divided over the main goal of the talks.
Hostage Release Remains a Key Sticking Point
Hamas has offered to return the remaining Israeli hostages if Israel agrees to end the war in Gaza. On the other hand, Israel is demanding the release of hostages without making any firm commitments to stop the fighting, Sheikh Mohammed explained.
"When you don't have a common objective, a common goal between the parties, I believe the opportunities to end the war become very thin," he said during a press conference in Doha alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Turkey Urges a Broader Peace Agreement
Fidan added that talks between Turkish officials and Hamas leaders showed the group could be open to a bigger agreement, not just a temporary ceasefire but possibly a long-term solution, including the possibility of a two-state solution.
Later, a Turkish diplomatic source said Fidan met senior Hamas officials in Doha to discuss the latest ceasefire talks and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
"The Hamas side stated they continued working for a lasting ceasefire," the source said, adding that Turkey will continue its international and local efforts to support peace.
Fighting in Gaza Continues as Hostage Crisis Drags On
Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza on March 18 after a brief ceasefire in January fell apart. Israel insists it will maintain military pressure on Hamas until all hostages are freed. It’s believed that around 24 hostages are still alive.