Qatari mediators are urging Hamas to expedite the release of hostages held in Gaza, including women and children, and to do so without expecting concessions from Israel, according to three diplomats and a source in the region familiar with the talks. Meanwhile, Israel is preparing to launch a ground assault on the enclave. Qatar, in coordination with the United States, is leading mediation talks with Hamas and Israeli officials to secure the release of over 200 hostages captured by Hamas during its cross-border attack on October 7.
A fifth source told Reuters on Tuesday, after being briefed on the negotiations, that Qatar is currently discussing the release of a larger number of civilians with Hamas and Israel. The source added that progress is being made in the talks. Diplomats and the informed source indicated that the discussions do not involve any Israeli soldiers held by Hamas. Hamas claims that these captive soldiers represent strategic assets that the group could ultimately trade for significant concessions from Israel.
In Washington, two American sources stated that the United States is aware that Qatar is pressuring Hamas to immediately release a large group of hostages without expecting any concessions from Israel in return.
*Logistical Challenge*
In this context, Israel has carried out bombings in Gaza that have resulted in the deaths of over 5,700 people so far, with entire families buried under the rubble of their homes, and thousands more injured and displaced, with about one million people uprooted. Israel is now planning a ground assault on the Gaza Strip to eliminate Hamas.
Among the arguments that three sources say Qatar might use in its communications with Hamas is that releasing a large group of civilian hostages would alleviate the significant logistical burden on the armed group as it confronts Israel. The diplomats and source indicated that feeding and housing the hostages and caring for the injured poses a challenge for Hamas while preparing for an Israeli attack, especially as little food and medicine are available to the 2.3 million residents of Gaza.
The sources noted that tracking hostages held by various groups in different locations complicates this task. The informed source on the prisoner negotiations asserted that Hamas likely did not expect to capture such a large number of hostages and was unprepared for it. Israeli officials have suggested that many of the hostages may be held in Gaza's network of tunnels.
The informed source stated, "Hamas did not anticipate such a significant success from this operation. Now they have all these hostages and don’t know what to do with them."
Two sources indicated that Qatar has informed Hamas that releasing a large number of civilians could yield diplomatic benefits by showing the group, which many Western nations categorize as a terrorist organization, to be sensitive to international humanitarian concerns regarding the detention of children and other civilians.
*Captured Soldiers*
In Jerusalem, an Israeli official stated that Hamas is using the hostage crisis for propaganda and is attempting to present itself as humanitarian by releasing a number of those it abducted. The official described this as "Nazi psychological warfare."
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Monday that Washington wants "to see all hostages released. We want to see them free without condition... as soon as possible."
The release of civilians means that Hamas would only hold military personnel and Israeli security members. Osama Hamdan, a spokesperson for Hamas, stated on Saturday that the fate of the Israeli soldiers is tied to a potential prisoner exchange and will not be discussed until Israel ceases its attacks on Gaza.
Qatar maintains a direct line of communication with both Hamas and Israel and has previously helped mediate ceasefire agreements between the two sides. One of the priorities for the United States is to allow more time for negotiations over the release of hostages, but time may be running out.
Two sources in Washington familiar with the negotiations indicated on Monday that the United States has advised Israel to refrain from a ground assault and is keeping Qatar, which is mediating for the release of additional hostages, informed about those discussions with Israel.
