Qatar in touch with Hamas and Israel to secure prisoner exchange: Report

Qatari mediators are holding urgent negotiations with Hamas and Israel to secure freedom for Israeli women and children who are held in captivity by Hamas in exchange for release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons, Reuters reported citing sources. Qatar's foreign ministry has reportedly confirmed that the country has been conducting negotiations in co-ordination with the US and that they are "moving positively".

"We are in constant contact with all sides at the moment. Our priorities are to end the bloodshed, release the prisoners and make sure the conflict is contained with no regional spillover," foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told Reuters, without elaborating.

There are no signs of immediate breakthrough.

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Qatar is reportedly in touch with Hamas officials in Doha and Gaza after the militant group's attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on Saturday. At the time of publishing of this story, at least 1,200 people had lost lives in the conflict.

It is not yet clear how many Israeli women and children Hamas is willing to release in exchange of release of 36 Palestinian women and children prisoners in Israel.

Israel has retaliated to Hamas attacks with its most intensive retaliatory strikes ever in Gaza. On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that the government had ordered 'complete siege' of Gaza which will involve depriving the enclave of food, electricity and water supply. There are 2.3 million people in the Gaza strip.

Egypt has been in touch with both, Israel and Hamas and making efforts to prevent further escalation in fighting.

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Reuters quoted Eran Lerman, former Israeli deputy national adviser, who said that Israelis were unlikely to concede to conditions of the hostage takers.

"We should have to see how long they are going to hold the hostages when over the next few days there is no water, no electricity, no food, no medicine for the entire Gaza population," he said.

Images of Israelis being taken into Gaza have made their way to social media. Israel has said that it will act to set the hostages free in accordance with a longstanding principle of leaving no prisoner behind.

Qatar has a direct line of communication with Hamas. The country has previously helped mediate between the Islamist group and Israel.

Qatar, a tiny nation but a wealthy energy and investment powerhouse, has ambitious foreign policy goals. It was recently under global spotlight after hosting more than a year of negotiations between the US and Iran. These negotiations ultimately led to prisoner exchange between the two nations and fund releases.

(With inputs from agencies)

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