Qatari PM Reports Only ‘Practical and Logistical’ Barriers to Hostage Deal Remain

In a joint press conference held in Doha with Josep Borrell, the EU’s top foreign affairs representative, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani claimed that the issues preventing the finalization of a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas are now “very minor.”

Since the onset of the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza, Qatar has served as a key player and primary mediator between the US, Israel, the EU, and representatives from Hamas.

The Qatari-hosted negotiations, which have been ongoing for weeks now, have proven to be one of the only officially known lines of communication between the conflict’s primary actors.

While no timetable for the release of the hostages has been publicly given, a report from the Washington Post which cites officials familiar with the negotiations indicates that the exchange would center on the release of women and children held by Hamas in exchange for a five-day cease-fire.

The Qatari prime minister’s statement has evoked international surprise given comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday.

Netanyahu, who is facing a myriad of domestic and international pressures to further concentrate his government’s resources on the safe return of the hostages, referred to any news surrounding an impending deal as “incorrect reports.”

Current reporting and intelligence indicates that 239 hostages from 26 different countries are still being held captive by Hamas.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is engaged in an ongoing process to independently verify the safety and identities of the hostages.