Gaza ceasefire negotiations still ongoing: Qatar

GAZA CITY, Palestine/ISTANBUL

Qatar confirmed on Tuesday that indirect talks between Hamas and Israel to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage swap deal are still ongoing.

“The meetings are ongoing in Doha regarding Gaza, and there is no deadlock,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a press conference.

“There is intensive daily communication either in Doha, the US, or Egypt to intensify efforts to reach an agreement,” he added.

Ansari said that meetings with Hamas and Israel are being held separately with each side to reach a framework agreement.

Indirect negotiations started on July 6 in the Qatari capital to reach an agreement that includes a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism last week about the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, saying the parties are "closer than we've been in quite a while."

Ansari condemned “the irresponsible Israeli policies in the region,” stressing the necessity of international intervention to stop “the reckless Israeli behavior that endangers the security of the region as a whole.”

“We cannot accept the absence of accountability for the reckless Israeli behavior in the region, not only to stop the massacre in Gaza and violations in the West Bank but also Israel’s presence in southern Lebanon and attacks on Lebanon and Syria,” he said.

He stressed that the danger of Israel’s “reckless” policy has reached the Gulf region and Qatar specifically during the recent escalation between Israel and Iran.