Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani attempted to douse optimism about an imminent deal for the release of the 136 hostages, even as he expressed optimism that a deal was in the works, of which the first phase would see the release of women and elderly male captives.
“I think we have reached an agreement with the Israelis in order to have it as a starting point, but it needs a lot of resolution and negotiating the details also with Hamas to get into an agreement,” Thani told Fox News in an interview he granted them on Tuesday while visiting Washington.
“We always want to be optimistic, but we shouldn’t also over-promise. The process is still at the beginning, so it will need some time to evolve,” Thani explained.
He traveled to the US after participating in a meeting of Israeli, American, and Egyptian intelligence chiefs in Paris. While in Washington, he met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Sullivan and Thani discussed “the ongoing crisis in Gaza and their efforts to secure the immediate release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas,” the White House said after the meeting.
Sullivan stressed to thank “that all possible efforts” must “be brought to bear on Hamas to secure the release of hostages without delay,” the White House stated.
Israel argues Qatar can do more
Israel has argued Qatar can do more to leverage the residency of Hamas leadership in its country to secure a deal, while Thani has publicly said that this fact enhances its ability to act as a mediator but does not give it expanded power to pressure the group.
As part of the ongoing high-level talks for a deal, Sullivan is expected to meet with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer on Wednesday.
Hamas has separately been studying what it has described as a three-phased release plan that involved a pause in the war and the release of Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli jails, including those found guilty of killing Israelis in terror attacks.
It’s widely assumed that an initial step in a hostage deal would be the release of women, children, and the elderly among the hostages. Thani seemed to confirm the accuracy of this understanding, explaining that “right now, we are talking about women and the elderly.”
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