Egypt and Qatar held discussions on stabilizing the Gaza ceasefire and facilitating a prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel. The talks involved reviewing bilateral relations, humanitarian aid access, and an Arab reconstruction plan for Gaza. A comprehensive Arab proposal aims to rebuild Gaza while addressing the immediate humanitarian crisis amidst political tensions.
On Wednesday, Egypt and Qatar convened discussions to enhance the stability of the ceasefire in Gaza and facilitate a potential prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in Doha, following new negotiations aimed at implementing phase two of the ceasefire agreement, as reported by News.Az based on foreign media sources.
The dialogue encompassed a review of bilateral relations and emphasized the importance of reinforcing the ceasefire and enabling the exchange of hostages and detainees in Gaza. An official statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry underscored the necessity of increasing humanitarian aid access to Gaza to address the pressing needs of the Palestinian population.
Additionally, both parties took stock of previous discussions from an extraordinary Arab summit in Cairo on March 4 and a recent meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah. Efforts to activate an Arab reconstruction plan for Gaza were central to their talks, including identifying steps for securing the essential funding to implement the comprehensive project.
The Arab summit and the OIC meeting had sanctioned a robust Arab strategy to rebuild Gaza, aiming to do so without the displacement of residents, projected to span five years and cost approximately $53 billion. This initiative follows the rejection of a controversial proposal by former US President Donald Trump that aimed to relocate Palestinians, which was deemed a form of ethnic cleansing by many nations.
Since the conflict escalated in October 2023, approximately 50,000 individuals, predominantly women and children, have lost their lives in the violence. The ongoing hostilities were momentarily interrupted under the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that commenced in January. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes in Gaza. Moreover, Israel is currently being pursued for genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice due to its military actions in the region.
The talks between Egypt and Qatar represent a critical step toward stabilizing the ceasefire in Gaza and addressing urgent humanitarian needs. The discussions also reflect ongoing regional cooperation for the reconstruction of Gaza, in response to the devastating conflict. The international community continues to observe these developments closely, especially given the significant humanitarian implications for the Palestinian population and the pressing international legal challenges facing Israel.
Original Source: news.az