Qatar urges Hamas, Israel to immediately start talks for phase two of Gaza ceasefire

CAIRO – 2 February 2025: Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has called for immediate negotiations between Israel and Hamas to implement phase two of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Sheikh Mohammed emphasized the need for both parties to engage as stipulated in the accord.

The ceasefire deal, reached last month, halted over 15 months of Israeli war that has killed over 47,000 Palestinians and displaced the majority of the population.

As part of the first stage of the three-phase agreement, Hamas and Israel have conducted four prisoner exchanges, swapping a total of 18 captives—13 Israelis and 5 Thai nationals— since January 19.

In return, Israel has released 583 Palestinian prisoners, including dozens serving life sentences.

More than 70 captives remain in Gaza.

The second phase is expected to involve the release of all remaining captives, a permanent end to fighting, and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave.

Sheikh Mohammed noted that while mediators have been in contact, there are still uncertainties regarding the timing and location of the next negotiations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss phase two of the agreement on Monday in Washington with US President Donald Trump’s Middle East Envoy, Steve Witkoff.