Mediator Qatar eyes Hamas-Israel ceasefire before the end of Ramadan

DPA:   Qatar, engaged in mediation between Israel and Hamas, hopes a truce deal will be reached in the Gaza war before the Muslim Eid al-Fitr festival, marking the end of Ramadan next month, a Qatari official has said.

Eid al-Fitr, expected to start on April 10, marks the end of the lunar Islamic fasting month of Ramadan that began earlier this week.

Spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry Majed al-Ansari said the Gulf country is seeking to push both sides to reach an agreement.

"Qatari efforts continue to halt fighting in Gaza despite the complexity of the situation and the deteriorating humanitarian scene," he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Qatar, a major ally of Palestinian extremist organization Hamas, has been trying to negotiate a truce deal in the ongoing conflict for weeks, together with delegations from the US and Egypt.

Initially, negotiators were hopeful that an agreement could be reached before the start of Ramadan, but talks have stalled.

One of the main points of contention between Israel and Hamas is the duration of a ceasefire. Hamas is demanding an indefinite ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. Israel rejects this.

In November, the oil-rich emirate helped broker a temporary ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas that also facilitated hostage-for-prisoner swaps.