Qatari PM: ‘We are hoping’ for Hamas to ‘engage positively and constructively’ in hostage deal talks

Officials from Egypt, Israel, Qatar, and the U.S. have brokered a deal that would see the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza in exchange for the release of aid to Gaza and the return of Palestinian prisoners. However, Hamas has yet to agree to the deal. Andrea Mitchell and David Ignatius sit down with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, one of the lead negotiators, at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC to discuss the deal. “There was a clear demand of the permanent ceasefire ahead of the negotiations, which I believe that we moved from that place to a place where it potentially might lead to a ceasefire permanently in the future. And this is what we are all aiming for,” Al-Thani tells Andrea. “I think yesterday was good progress made to get things back in shape and to at least to lay a foundation for the way forward.” He adds, “we are hoping actually to relay this proposal to Hamas and to get them to a place where they engage positively and constructively in the process. Because we think that in today's world, I think that's the only game in town and that would be the only way to get the situation de-escalated.”Jan. 29, 2024