Qatar calls on Hamas and Israel to do more to mediate a ceasefire

In comments with Israeli media, a senior Qatari official encouraged Israel and Hamas to demonstrate “more commitment and more seriousness” in ceasefire discussions as pressure mounts to strike a deal that would release some Israeli detainees and put an end to the almost seven-month-long conflict in Gaza.

Along with the US and Egypt, Qatar has played a crucial role as a go-between and was crucial in mediating a temporary ceasefire in November that resulted in the release of several captives. Hamas’s headquarters are located in Doha. However, last month, in a show of displeasure, Qatar said that it was reevaluating its position as a mediator.

A team from Hamas is set to go to Cairo for discussions, according to a message sent to The Associated Press by senior Hamas leader Basem Naim. An Israeli delegation is scheduled to visit Egypt in the coming days to examine the most recent offers in the negotiations. He gave no other details, although the group is scheduled to arrive on Monday, according to Egypt’s state-run al-Qahera TV.

The interviews conducted on Saturday evening by Israeli public broadcaster Kan and liberal newspaper Haaretz with Majed al-Ansari, the spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, were published and broadcast. They occurred as Israel threatened to attack Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza, despite international alarm about the more than a million Palestinians seeking refuge there. — AP

A video of two detainees beseeching Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to mediate their release was made public by Hamas on Saturday.
American-Israeli Keith Siege is heard in the video pleading with Netanyahu to hold talks with Hamas about a captive release agreement.
This is the first footage of Siegel that has been made public since Hamas took him and his spouse prisoner on October 7 from their Kibbutz Kfar Aza home.