Qatar PM says 'minor' challenges remain to Israel-Hamas hostage deal

DOHA: A deal to free hostages seized by Hamas in its October 7 attack on Israel now hinges on “minor” practical issues, Qatar’s prime minister said Sunday, without providing details or a timeline.

Qatar has helped to broker talks aiming to free some of the about 240 hostages in return for a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza war.

“The challenges that remain in the negotiations are very minor compared to the bigger challenges, they are more logistical, they are more practical,” Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told a joint press conference with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

The United States earlier said it was still working to secure a deal between Israel and Hamas after a reported tentative agreement to free women and children held hostage in Gaza in exchange for a pause in fighting.

“We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal,” White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said on X, formerly Twitter, in response to the Washington Post reporting a deal had been agreed.

The Post said a detailed, six-page agreement could mean hostage releases begin within days and could also lead to the first sustained pause in the conflict in Gaza.

Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper said all parties would halt combat operations for at least five days while some hostages were released in batches, with overhead surveillance monitoring movement to police the pause.

US President Joe Biden’s main adviser on the Middle East said earlier Saturday there would be a “significant pause” in the war if hostages held by militants in Gaza were freed.

“The surge in humanitarian relief, the surge in fuel, the pause… will come when hostages are released,” Brett McGurk told a security conference in Bahrain.

McGurk said Biden had discussed the issue on Friday evening with the ruler of Qatar, which is leading mediation efforts toward a ceasefire and release of the captives.