Under the agreement struck by Qatar, medicines for Israeli and Palestinian hostages are arriving in Gaza
Members of the Egyptian Red Crescent and civil organizations work to mobilize assistance in preparation for their entry into the Gaza Strip Jan. 17 in Rafah, Egypt. Ali Moustafa/Getty Images
Medicines for Israeli and Palestinian hostages have arrived in the Gaza Strip, Qatar said on Wednesday, after the Gulf state brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas to supply vital medicines to the war-torn enclave.
The deal negotiated by Qatar on Tuesday calls for the delivery of medicines to Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for medicines and humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians.
“In the last few hours, medicines and supplies have entered the Gaza Strip, in implementation of the agreement announced yesterday for the benefit of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, including hostages,” said Dr. Majed Al-Ansari, spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry.
“Qatar, together with its regional and international partners, continues its mediation efforts at the political and humanitarian levels.”
The drug left Doha on Wednesday and went to Egypt before being transported to Gaza, the ministry said earlier.
Osama Hamdan, a Hamas official in Lebanon, said the deal depends on there being enough medicine for the Palestinians in Gaza in addition to the Israeli hostages.
Hamas has stipulated that for every box of medicine given to the hostages, Palestinians in Gaza must receive 1,000 boxes.