The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday that mediators had yet to receive a response from Hamas on the latest proposal for a ceasefire and prisoner swap deal between the movement and Israel.
A statement by the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al-Ansari, added that mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt and the United States are still “ongoing” to reach a ceasefire.
He also called for not paying attention to unverified media reports and relying instead on reliable official sources, especially amid the current sensitive negotiations.
On Friday, Biden announced a three-stage plan to end the war in Gaza, beginning with a “complete and comprehensive” ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of the Strip, and the release of a number of women, elderly and wounded hostages, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
According to the US President, at this first stage, the Palestinians will return to their homes throughout Gaza, and humanitarian aid will increase to 600 trucks per day.
The first phase also includes talks between Israel and Hamas to agree on the release of all hostages and Israeli forces’ complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.