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

DOHA, Qatar - A deal to free hostages Hamas seized in its Oct 7 operations on Israel now hinges on "minor" practical issues, Qatar's prime minister said Sunday, without giving details or a timeline.

"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.

Qatar has helped broker talks aiming to free some of the 240 hostages in return for a temporary ceasefire, a mediation effort that has so far led to the release of four hostages.

"The deal is going through ups and downs from time to time throughout the last few weeks," the premier said.

"I think that I'm now more confident that we are close enough to reach a deal that can bring the people safely back to their homes."

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas in response to the Oct 7 attacks, which Israeli officials say killed about 1,200 people and saw the hostages taken. The army's relentless air and ground campaign has since killed 12,300 people, more than 5,000 of them children, according to the Hamas government which has ruled Gaza since 2007.

Borrell, who was due to meet with Qatar's emir before travelling on to Jordan, called for the "unconditional release" of all hostages while denouncing the Hamas attack on Israel.

"There's no hierarchy between horrors, one horror doesnt justify another horror," the EU foreign policy chief added, urging an end to the escalating violence and the creation of "sustainable peace" in the region.

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

Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper said all parties would halt combat operations for at least five days while some hostages were to be released in batches.

The White House quickly responded on Saturday evening with a message on X, formerly Twitter, to deny any major breakthrough.

Thani said on Sunday it was "counterproductive to see leaks about the negotiations coming out in the media before sealing the deal".

On Thursday Biden had said he was "mildly hopeful" of reaching a deal to free the hostages, believed to include about 10 US citizens.

Israel has so far refused to heed calls for a ceasefire before all the captives are released. - AFP