Qatar warned Wednesday, through Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari, that any Israeli ground invasion of Gaza would complicate efforts to release the hostages. The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) detained more than 200 people during its October 7 attack on southern Israel. Qatar is leading an open dialogue with the Israeli authorities and Hamas, which has enabled the release of four detainees so far, including two Israeli women on Monday.

Al-Ansari stated that Qatar's most important priority is the safe return of detainees, which requires that they not be harmed in the exchange of fire.

Al-Ansari added, "Qatar is focusing its mediation efforts on the release of detainees, which is separate from the broader discussions to reduce the escalation."

For his part, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said that some progress has been achieved in negotiations regarding detainees in the Gaza Strip.

Sheikh Mohammed, who also holds the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs, added during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Doha, that he hopes to achieve a breakthrough in the release of detainees “soon.”

Qatar, in coordination with the United States, is leading mediation talks between Hamas and Israeli officials regarding the release of detainees at a time when Israel is preparing to launch a ground attack on the Gaza Strip.

Sheikh Mohammed said that the number of children killed in the Gaza Strip greatly exceeded the number of children killed in the Ukraine war, but there was not a similar reaction in the two crises.

He stressed that the only way to reach a peaceful solution in Gaza is to keep communication channels open.

France 24/Reuters