Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has informed mediators of its approval of a new ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip. 

He said this proposal represents the best possible option to save the lives of the people in Gaza, especially given the ongoing military escalation and plans announced in the media.

During the weekly media briefing organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Al Ansari stated that the new proposal includes a path to a comprehensive agreement to end the war. 

This includes a 60-day temporary ceasefire, during which a number of prisoners and hostages would be exchanged, Israeli forces would be redeployed, and the delivery of humanitarian aid would be intensified as stipulated in the agreement.

He added that the response from Hamas was ‘very positive’ and largely consistent with what had been previously agreed upon by the Israeli side. 

However, the mediation is still awaiting an official response from Israel.

“The region is at a critical humanitarian moment, and if an agreement is not reached now, we’ll face an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” he said. 

He noted that Qatar is continuing its efforts in cooperation with Egypt, USA, and other international parties to push for a ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid.

Regarding the timing of the Israeli response, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that there is no specific timeline, but discussions are ongoing on the Israeli side. 

He expressed hope that the response would be quick and positive, noting that about 98% of what was previously approved by Israel is included in the current proposal that Hamas has agreed to.

He pointed out that the mediation is still in the response exchange phase. 

If an agreement is reached between the two sides, a technical phase will begin to discuss implementation details. He stressed that the anticipated agreement would be under international sponsorship and guarantee, led by the United States. 

However, previous experiences have shown that the real guarantee is the commitment of both parties.

Dr Al Ansari also noted that the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is in direct contact with the US envoy. 

He mentioned that the language of the proposed draft was formulated by the US side in an earlier concept, indicating daily and direct engagement between Qatar and the US administration to advance the negotiations.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson affirmed that ‘the positive response from Hamas is an important indicator, but the final decision depends on the Israeli side’s response.’ 

He noted that other elements related to the peace plan involve the exchange of hostages and the mechanism for implementing the agreement once it is reached, expressing hope that these efforts will succeed, unlike previous attempts that were not implemented on the ground.

Regarding a visit by US Envoy Steve Witkoff to Doha or Cairo, Dr Al Ansari said, “We do not have any confirmation at this time, but communication is ongoing on a daily basis with the US envoy.” 

He confirmed that the proposal approved by Hamas includes a clear plan to reach a comprehensive agreement that ends the war.

Dr Al Ansari noted that Israeli officials are now proposing stances that go beyond the occupation of Gaza or the West Bank or the isolation of Jerusalem, to include talk of occupying sovereign Arab countries, which constitutes a clear violation of international law. 

He affirmed that Qatar has repeatedly condemned these practices, including the plan to build settlements to separate East Jerusalem from the West Bank, stressing that such policies will not bring security to Israel or lead to de-escalation in the region.

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