Qatar announces delivery of medicine, aid to Gaza under Israel-Hamas agreement

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) – Qatar on Wednesday announced the start of shipments of medicines and aid to the Gaza Strip under an agreement signed between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

“Over the past few hours, medicine & aid entered the Gaza Strip, in implementation of the agreement announced yesterday for the benefit of civilians in the Strip, including hostages,” Majed Al-Ansari, the spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on X.

“Qatar, along with its regional and international partners, continues mediation efforts at the political and humanitarian levels,” Al-Ansari added.

Qatar announced Tuesday the success of its mediation, in cooperation with France, in reaching an agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The agreement includes the entry of medicine and a shipment of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, especially in the most affected and damaged areas, in exchange for delivering medicine needed by Israeli hostages in the Strip.

Israel was the first to announce the agreement, without specifying that the shipments also include medicine for Palestinians.

Israel claims that Hamas has been holding 136 Israelis in Gaza since Oct. 7, while Hamas demands a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons in exchange for releasing Israeli prisoners in its custody.

Since Oct. 7, the Israeli army has been conducting a devastating war in Gaza, resulting in 24,448 deaths and 61,504 injuries.

The conflict has led to the displacement of more than 85% of the population in the Gaza Strip -- approximately 1.9 million residents -- according to Palestinian authorities and the UN.