Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that the mediators decided to postpone discussions on the more complex issues in the Gaza negotiations, due to the unpreparedness of the concerned parties to address them at this stage.
The Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs added during an interview with The New York Times that the pursuit of comprehensive negotiations from the outset would have hindered the progress achieved so far.
Bin Abdul Rahman explained that the gradual approach to addressing the files contributed to reaching tangible results, the most notable of which are the ceasefire and the release of prisoners.
He pointed out that one of the fundamental questions still raised is the future of Hamas's weapons, saying: "There is a fundamental difference between Hamas handing over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority or to another party."
The Qatari Prime Minister emphasized that the next step should be to discuss the formation of an international stabilization force, indicating that Hamas is open to discussing how it does not pose a threat to Israel.
On Saturday, a Hamas leader informed AFP that the release of 48 prisoners, both living and deceased, most of whom are Israelis, in Gaza will begin on Monday morning.
Osama Hamdan said in an interview with the agency that "according to the signed agreement, the exchange is scheduled to begin on Monday as agreed, and there are no new developments in this regard."
Following the return of the prisoners from Gaza, the occupying state will begin releasing about two thousand Palestinian detainees from its prisons, as stipulated in the terms of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement signed by the two parties with American mediation.
At the same time, Hamas member Hossam Badran stated on Saturday that the movement is prepared to fight if the Israeli occupation resumes its war on Gaza, noting that the negotiations for the second phase of the war-ending agreement may be more complicated.
Badran mentioned in an interview with AFP that all observers and followers did not expect this war to last for two years, but the resistance, with the Al-Qassam Brigades and others, remained capable of enduring and striking the occupying army.
He continued, "We hope not to return to this stage, but undoubtedly if this battle is imposed, Hamas will confront it and will exert all its capabilities to repel this aggression."
Regarding the resistance's weapons, Badran said, "It should be noted that it is not just Hamas's weapons. Today we are talking about weapons that belong to the entire Palestinian people. In the Palestinian context, weapons are a natural thing and part of history, present, and future."
He clarified that "Hamas insists on not giving up its weapons. Hamas will not give up its weapons. This is the normal situation for any people living under occupation," explaining that the weapons held by Hamas and the resistance are individual weapons for the defense of the Palestinian people.
On his expectations regarding the negotiations for the second phase, Badran said that it will not be "as easy as the first phase," as he put it, adding that the second phase "is clearly complicated and involves many difficulties, which may require longer negotiations, but it also requires a Palestinian national dialogue to arrive at a Palestinian national answer."
Badran noted that Hamas is engaged in negotiations indirectly through mediators, and that it "will not participate in the signing process (in Sharm El Sheikh). Only the mediators and the American and Israeli officials."
There is a fundamental difference between Hamas handing over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority or to another party.
שתף את דעתך
The Qatari Prime Minister talks about the "difficult issues" in the Gaza negotiations.