He was involved “from minute one” in the negotiations which, after six weeks of intense bombing of the Gaza Strip, led to an initial four-day truce and an extension for a further two days. In crucial hours, as negotiators try to secure a new extension from Israel and Hamas, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari visits Independent reveal some of the issues discussed.

There is some optimism in Doha about a possible scenario for a continued cessation of hostilities amid growing pressure within the Israeli government to resume ground military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Question: A few hours before the extension expires, at what stage will the negotiations be?

The length of the new truce depends on the number of hostages Hamas can release each day.

Answer: Negotiations are currently ongoing. We have secured two days, which expire today, in addition to the original four days that were provided for in the agreement. We hope that we will eventually get another extension. These extensions are based on Hamas’s ability to take a minimum of ten hostages per day, which was achieved yesterday, and we have a list for today. We expect a release in a couple of hours, and at the same time we will inform you whether there will be a further extension.

Question: How long will this extension be?

A. – It depends on the number of hostages that Hamas can commit to releasing each day. According to the Israelis, we need at least ten hostages for release. And we hope that this time we can get enough days to also build on the momentum that started with the original agreement.

Question. – How many civilians remain in the hands of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other groups in the Gaza Strip?

A. – We don’t have such figures. Our job as intermediaries is to convey messages between both parties. We cannot verify anything we receive from the field. At this time, the information we have only applies to those registered on today’s list. We receive the list daily. We have today’s list and, obviously, those who have already been released, but at the moment we do not have any information about the remaining hostages.

Question: What do you mean when you talk about “Hamas’ ability to find hostages”?

A: We cannot confirm what we receive from the field, but we have seen those who have already been released, that they are in good condition. We hope this applies to the other hostages as well. However, on the ground, Hamas provides us with information as it arises. Obviously this is a war zone, so we don’t expect it to be easy to gather information about the whereabouts of the hostages, although we know from Hamas that not all the hostages are with them. But we’ll have to wait.

We are more optimistic today than we were a couple of days ago.

Question: Yesterday there was a meeting between the heads of the CIA, Mossad and Egyptian intelligence with the Prime Minister of Qatar. Is there already talk about the release of Israeli soldiers in the hands of Hamas?

Answer: As you understand, I cannot disclose any information about the mediation and negotiations that are currently underway. However, I can tell you that these meetings have been happening for a long time. This is not the first meeting of the heads of intelligence services here in Doha, and the general atmosphere of the discussion is quite positive. Those discussions led to an initial agreement on a four-day pause and then an extension, and will be critical to achieving something more concrete. Our main goal is to maintain the momentum created by the agreement, and our main goal is to achieve a sustainable pause between both sides that can help end this war. The discussions now begin with the question, of course, of the extension and release of all civilian hostages within the framework that they agreed upon in the original agreement, the provision that I spoke about. However, we are now discussing other truces that can be achieved by discussing all the hostages and all possible issues. We don’t have any agreements to announce at the moment, but I can tell you that we are more optimistic today than we were a couple of days ago.

Question: Do you confirm that the possibility of exchanging military hostages is already being discussed?

A: Our priority has always been to start with those most at risk when it comes to hostages. And this applies first to women and children, then to men, civilians, and then military hostages. I can’t reveal where we are in the discussion right now, but I can tell you that we are working to get everything we can, everything that is possible on the ground. And the person works as an intermediary with what he ends up with.

This is even more difficult because there is a complete lack of trust between both parties, making the mediator’s job more difficult.

Question: Are we entering a new phase of the truce?

A.- We have been saying from day one that the work of a mediator is always difficult. But in this context, of course, it is much more difficult than in others, because we are talking about a total lack of trust between both sides, heightened emotions between both sides, polarization that occurs not only within Israel and Palestine. territory., but also throughout the world, which complicates our work as an intermediary. However, as I said, given the momentum we already have in implementing the agreement, this is the sixth day of calm after five weeks of intense fighting and indiscriminate shelling in Gaza and incredible loss of life and destruction in Gaza. And so we’re optimistic because we see that happening right now. We see how the fighting stops and how aid arrives in Gaza. We still have a lot to do, but at least we have the momentum we need. I can tell you that we are much more optimistic than we were a couple of days ago. But, of course, this is a very delicate process that we must control. And that’s what’s happening in the war room here in Doha and in the meeting of the intelligence chiefs that we know.. This is necessary to ensure that all locations are explored and all channels are open for communication.

Question: As you well know, the Israeli government is currently under pressure to resume military operations. There is talk of a new truce for four or five days, and then a resumption of military action…

A. – We hope that we can maintain the momentum. The fact that hostages are returning to their families, that there are prisoners in Israel returning to their families, is a positive development after a very dark six weeks. But we hope that the images of these people being reunited with their families, these children being reunited with their families, will raise the level of understanding between both sides that we need to end this war through negotiations, through peaceful relations. means. This is what we’ve been talking about since day one: this is a cycle of violence that didn’t start on October 7th. And we need to think, together with the international community and the parties to the conflict, how we can get to the point where the debate is not about the specific repetition of violence that is happening right now, but about the peace and security of both peoples. and the region in a holistic approach to peace in the Middle East.

Question: What was the most difficult part of the agreement?

A.- Everything, to be honest. We are not talking about simple discussion here. We are talking about two parties that have virtually no trust in each other. We are talking about a level of death and destruction never seen in this context. When we talk about approximately 6,000 children dead in the Gaza Strip, a total of 15,000 people, the displacement of 1.7 million people and of course the hostage issue and the October 7 attacks. All this makes any mediation work very difficult and almost impossible. But we are full of hope because we have seen the result of the humanitarian pause that is happening right now. We are also hopeful as we see a shift in the language of the international community towards supporting an end to this war. And that’s what gives us more responsibility and a sense of duty to continue to do this and work to end this war.

Question: We still remember the exchange of soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011 for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. Today we are talking about dozens of Israeli soldiers in the hands of Hamas and approximately 7 thousand Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations on the exchange of Israeli soldiers – the most difficult moment?

A. – Obviously, these will be the most difficult negotiations in this process, the most difficult. There are high hopes on both sides, and we are preparing for this. And I think the success that we’ve had with regard to civilians, as we continue to work towards the release of all civilians, will help in these negotiations as a confidence-building measure. However, as you said, these will be very difficult conversations. We hope to have a holistic discussion, a more general discussion on peace issues. As a result of the dispute over soldiers held by Hamas, the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israel continues to increase every day as more Palestinians are arrested in the West Bank. And we hope that we can also stop this and stop the escalation that is happening in the West Bank, reach an agreement on the withdrawal of prisoners. At the same time, we see, of course, many difficulties. The success of the agreement to date and the commitment of both sides gives us hope that we can build on it in upcoming negotiations. Our main target now is civilian hostages, those who are most at risk, from women and children to civilian men. And then we move on to the soldiers.