Doha negotiates with Hamas to bring in medicines for Israeli hostages
Discussions on medical aid are taking place separately from broader negotiations on the release of other hostages, which have not resulted in an agreement
Qatar is in talks with the Palestinian movement Hamas to facilitate the entry of essential medicines for Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip. Progress is being made with Israel to allow more health supplies to reach civilians in the region, as reported by the American newspaper The New York Times on Thursday, citing informed sources.
According to Israeli authorities, many detainees in the Gaza Strip have been suffering from diseases such as cancer and diabetes for nearly 100 days and require regular medication. Israel assumes that there are still 136 Israelis detained in the coastal area, with 25 of them possibly not having survived.
Relatives of the hostages raised the need for medicines during a meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, in Doha, according to Daniel Levitz, the grandson of a hostage held in Gaza.
Levitz, the grandson of Udi Levitz, an 83-year-old journalist and Israeli peace activist held in Gaza, stated that he was present at the recent talks in Qatar where families raised the issue of delivering medicines, expressing concern about his grandfather’s health.
He added, “The fact that many hostages are deprived of the medicines they need is akin to a death sentence… They should have received what they needed on the first day.”
An official familiar with the talks, speaking anonymously to the American newspaper, confirmed that negotiators discussed the types and quantities of required medicines and how to deliver them. The discussions are ongoing with international organizations that can assist in the process.
Qatar serves as a key mediator in the negotiations between Hamas and Israel, which do not directly engage with each other. However, the newspaper noted that discussions on medical aid are separate from broader negotiations on the release of other hostages, which have not led to an agreement.
During a week-long ceasefire in November, 105 Israeli detainees were released in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners in a mediated process involving Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that talks on medicines for hostages and civilians in Gaza have “made progress.”
On the other hand, Hamas official Hussam Badran stated that the movement is discussing efforts related to delivering medicines “positively.”
An official familiar with the talks mentioned that Israel is willing to allow the delivery of medicines to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, where 15 medical centers are partially operating amid Israeli military attacks on the sector and a severe shortage of medical supplies.
While Israel allows trucks carrying medicines to enter Gaza, UN officials say that these supplies have failed to meet the needs of the population.
On Thursday, the United Nations expressed regret for the obstacles posed by Israeli authorities to the delivery of humanitarian aid to northern Gaza, noting that every delay costs lives.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said, “Our humanitarian colleagues informed us that between January 1 and 10, only three out of 21 shipments of humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, water, and other essential items, were able to reach northern and central Gaza.” Dujarric confirmed that these shipments, including medical equipment and fuel, were rejected by Israeli authorities.
Dujarric expressed regret that “the ability of the United Nations to respond to the large needs in the northern part of Gaza is hindered by the repeated refusal to allow the entry of aid and the lack of coordination by Israeli authorities for safe passage.”
He emphasized that “every day we cannot provide assistance leads to the loss of lives and the suffering of thousands of people still in northern Gaza.”
The United Nations continues to highlight the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza months after the Israeli military offensive. Israel pledged to “eliminate” Hamas after the unprecedented attack by the movement on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,140 people, according to a count by Agence France-Presse based on Israeli figures. Approximately 250 people were kidnapped during the attack, and 132 of them remain hostage in Gaza, according to the Israeli army.
Israel responded with an extensive bombing campaign on Gaza and later launched a ground attack, leading to 23,469 deaths and 59,604 injuries, mostly women and children, according to the latest figures from the health ministry affiliated with Hamas.
Waleed Abu Hatab, director of maternity medicine at Nasser Medical Center in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, stated that he is dealing with a severe shortage of milk, anesthetics, and vaccines, making it difficult to provide adequate care for newborns.
In a phone interview, he said, “If this situation continues, I am concerned that many will not survive… We are dealing with an impossible situation.”
Since the start of the conflict, the Red Cross has been unable to visit the hostages. The organization stated that it does not know the location of the hostages‘ detention, and it cannot visit them without safe passage from both Hamas and the Israeli army due to the ongoing fighting.
Jason Straziuso, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, urged parties and influential figures to work towards delivering medicines to the hostages, stating, “The most important step is for the medicines to reach those who need them. We will not be satisfied until they do.”
Dr. Hagai Levin, head of the medical team at the Forum for Hostages and Missing Families, an Israeli group, said, “The lives of all hostages are at risk, especially those who need medical treatment… It is my wish that they finally receive the treatment they deserve.”
On the other hand, Gaza’s 2.4 million inhabitants are facing a growing humanitarian crisis, especially in the cold winter months. International organizations warn of a health catastrophe in the sector, where 85% of the population has been displaced, amid slow aid delivery.
Israel imposed its blockade on the sector after the outbreak of the war. Despite a resolution by the United Nations Security Council calling for increased aid, organizations complain of aid shortages, and they assert that they remain below the population’s needs.
The war has had a disastrous impact on the health sector. According to the World Health Organization, 15 out of 36 hospitals in the sector are partially operating, with nine in the south and six in the north.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, warned earlier this week that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is “intractable,” and aid distribution faces obstacles “almost impossible to overcome.”
