Qatar is in talks with Hamas to facilitate the delivery of medicines to Israeli hostages held in Gaza, The New York Times reported on Thursday. At the same time, Qatar, as an intermediary between the Jewish state and Hamas, is negotiating with Israel to enable the Palestinians in Gaza to import medicine. This is facilitated by various international organizations.
An anonymous Israeli official involved in the details of the talks said in the report that progress had been made.
Relatives of the hostages meet with the Qatari Prime Minister
This came as family members of Gaza hostages met in Doha with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to discuss the delivery of medicines to their relatives in the Gaza Strip, the Times said.
People walk past photos of civilians held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza posted in Tel Aviv. December 21, 2023. (Source: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)
Harsh prison conditions
The 136 Israeli hostages have been held in Gaza for almost 100 days, many of them suffering from chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, myopia, high blood pressure, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome and endocrine diseases. Due to the harsh prison conditions, their conditions have deteriorated significantly. In addition, the lack of appropriate medications can lead many to develop serious, life-threatening illnesses.
The Red Cross was unable to reach the hostages and provide them with the necessary medical care.
Dr. Itai Gil contributed to this article.