Qatar is in talks with Hamas to enable the delivery of medications to the Israeli hostages held in Gaza, the New York Times reported on Thursday. In parallel, Qatar, acting as a mediator between the Jewish state and Hamas, is negotiating with Israel to enable the entry of medicine to Palestinians in Gaza. This will be facilitated by various international organizations.
An anonymous Israeli official involved in the details of the talks said that progress had been made, the report claimed.
Relatives of hostages meet with Qatari premier
This comes 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 medication to their relatives in the Strip, the New York Times further stated.
Harsh captivity conditions
136 Israeli hostages have been held in Gaza for almost 100 days, many with chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, nearsightedness, hypertension, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, and endocrine disease. Due to the harsh circumstances in which they are detained, their conditions have considerably deteriorated. In addition, for many, the lack of appropriate medication can lead to the development of severe, life-threatening disorders.
The Red Cross has been unable to reach the hostages and grant them the medical assistance they need.
Dr. Itai Gil contributed to this article.