Sunday’s discussions aimed at unlocking a solution to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas and reach a sustained cessation in fighting in Gaza made “good progress to get things back in shape and at least to lay a foundation for the way forward,” Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Monday.
“We are in much better place than where we were a few weeks ago,” Al Thani said at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC.
Al Thani described the framework emerging from the discussions in France with himself, CIA Director Bill Burns and the Israeli and Egyptian intelligence chiefs as a combination of “what’s been proposed by the Israelis and what’s been a counter-proposal from Hamas.”
“We tried to blend things together to come up with some sort of reasonable ground that brings everybody together,” he said.
Still, the Qatari prime minister downplayed the prospect of immediate results coming out of the talks. The framework must still be relayed to Hamas, he said, and “we don’t know and we cannot predict what (Hamas’ response) will be and we are sure that we will be faced with some challenges and obstacles.”
Hamas must get “to a place where they engage positively and constructively in the process,” Al Thani said.
CNN reported prior to the meeting Sunday that progress had been made on the parameters of a hostage deal that would occur in three stages, and include the release of civilians, soldiers and the bodies of those hostages who have died while being held in captivity.
Still, sticking points remain. Chief among them: Israel’s refusal to allow a permanent ceasefire in Gaza – a key demand of Hamas.
Coming out of the discussions in France, Al Thani is in Washington this week for meetings with top Biden administration officials. He met on Monday morning with Secretary of…
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