The US, Qatar and Egypt have called on Israel and the Palestinian Authority organization “Hamas” to resume negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a hostage-vs-prisoner agreement on August 15, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
„It is time to provide immediate relief to both the long-suffering people of Gaza and the long-suffering hostages and their families,” the leaders of the United States, Qatar and Egypt stressed yesterday in a joint statement.
„The time has come to conclude the ceasefire and deal to release hostages and detainees,” US President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said in a joint statement.
Qatar, the US and Egypt have been brokering for months a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of hostages held by “Hamas” for Palestinian prisoners serving sentences in Israel.
The three mediating countries said the "framework agreement" they had drawn up "is now on the table, with only implementation details remaining to be worked out.
The agreement builds on a plan laid out in May by Biden to end the conflict in three stages, starting with a six-week full and indefinite cease-fire.
"There is no more time to waste and no excuses from either side for further delay. It is time to release the hostages, begin the ceasefire and implement this agreement," the joint statement said.
The mediators called on “Hamas“ and Israel to resume negotiations on “August 15 in Doha or Cairo to fill any remaining gaps and begin implementation of the deal without further delay”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office responded to the joint statement by saying it would send a delegation to each location chosen for the Aug. 15 talks to “finalize the details of implementing the framework agreement”, The Times reported. Israel“ and “Aaretz“.
Fears have recently increased that a major war could break out in the region following the recent targeted killings of a senior “Hamas“ and to a senior Hezbollah commander, prompting Iran and its allies to threaten retaliation against Israel.
The war in Gaza was sparked by an unprecedented massacre in which on October 7, more than 1,200 people were killed by “Hamas” and other armed groups in Israel. Another 250 hostages were taken in the Gaza Strip.
Due to the high number of civilian casualties and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel has come under international criticism.
Ten months after the Israeli air and ground offensive, the “Hamas“ Gaza's health ministry says more than 39,600 people have died in the Palestinian territory.