Qatar says Israel, Hamas ‘not near a deal’ on Gaza truce

Doha, Qatar – AFP

Israel and Hamas are not close to a deal on a cessation of hostilities in Gaza and release of prisoners, mediator Qatar said on Tuesday, warning the situation remained “very complicated”.

Despite weeks of talks involving US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began on Monday without the start of a widely expected truce and prisoner exchange.

“We are not near a deal, meaning that we are not seeing both sides converging on language that can resolve the current disagreement over the implementation of a deal,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a news conference.

All parties were “continuing to work in the negotiations to reach a deal hopefully within the confines of Ramadan”, Ansari said.

But he added that he could not “offer any timeline” on a deal and explained the conflict remained “very complicated on the ground”.

Israel has killed 31,112 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, since the October 7 attacks by Hamas in which 1,160 Israelis died.

Previously, Qatar mediated a one-week break in fighting in late November that led to the release of scores of Israeli and foreign prisoners, as well as aid entering the besieged Palestinian territory.