Israel, Hamas agree to send medications and aid to Gaza, hostages

The medications will leave Doha on Wednesday and will then be transported to Egypt.

 Hamas terroristscelebrate after handing over hostages, who were abducted by Hamas gunmen during the October 7 attack on Israel, to the International Red Cross, as part of a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel amid a temporary truce, in an unknown location in the Gaza Strip, Novemb (photo credit: Hamas Military Wing/Handout via REUTERS)
Hamas terroristscelebrate after handing over hostages, who were abducted by Hamas gunmen during the October 7 attack on Israel, to the International Red Cross, as part of a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel amid a temporary truce, in an unknown location in the Gaza Strip, Novemb
(photo credit: Hamas Military Wing/Handout via REUTERS)

The Qatari foreign ministry also announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday that an agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas to send medications and aid into Gaza. 

Israel and Qatar have included the transfer of life-saving medicine to the hostages in the Gaza Strip during the last round of talks, according to reports by Israeli media on Saturday.

The agreement reached between Israel and Hamas stipulated that "medicine along with other humanitarian aid is to be delivered to civilians in Gaza Strip, in the most affected and vulnerable areas, in exchange for delivering medication needed for Israeli captives in Gaza," Qatar said in a statement.

The medications will leave Doha on Wednesday and will then be transported to Egypt, where they will be prepared to be transported into Gaza.

 Israelis gather in Tel Aviv for the release of Gaza hostages on November 25, 2023 (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
Israelis gather in Tel Aviv for the release of Gaza hostages on November 25, 2023 (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)

"On instruction from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and pursuant to the Director of the Mossad's agreement with Qatar on providing medicines to the Israeli hostages - Two Qatari Air Force planes are expected to fly tomorrow to Egypt with medicines that have been purchased in France, according to a list that was compiled in Israel, according to the medical needs of the hostages," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

"Upon the planes' arrival in Egypt, the medicines will be transferred by Qatari representatives to their final destination inside the Gaza Strip," the statement continued.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu conveys his appreciation to all those who have assisted in the endeavor.

"Israel insists that all the medicines reach their destination," the statement concluded.

The Biden administration further "welcomed" an announcement by Qatar that it had reached an agreement to deliver medicine to hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Tuesday.

US in negotiations to end Israel-Hamas War in exchange for hostages 

The US is involved in negotiations in Qatar that are reportedly aimed at bringing an end to the Israel-Hamas War in exchange for a return of the hostages held by Hamas, Israeli media, citing a report, publicized on Tuesday.

The US has worked with Qatar and Egypt to mediate a deal for the release of the 136 captives seized during the Hamas-led attack on October 7 and held since then in Gaza. 

The Biden administration "welcomed" the announcement by Qatar that it had reached an agreement to deliver medicine to hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Tuesday.

Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this article.