The Diplomat

The Spanish Government yesterday reiterated its support for the call by the United States, Egypt and Qatar for Israel and Hamas to “urgently” resume negotiations to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages and detainees.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain shows its support for the call made on Thursday by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, his Egyptian counterpart, Abdelfatá al Sisi, and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad al Thani, to conclude and implement without further delay the agreement for the ceasefire in Gaza, and to release the hostages and detainees, following Biden’s own initiative and Resolution 2735 of the United Nations Security Council.

“Spain,” the statement says, “reiterates its demand for a ceasefire that would allow the entry of humanitarian aid and the release of hostages, which would help prevent an escalation of regional violence and facilitate progress in the implementation of the two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, living in peace and security.”

To achieve the goal of closing the agreement and beginning to implement it, the leaders have called on the Government of Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

The United States, Egypt and Qatar propose a three-phase plan, the first of which would last six weeks and involve the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas of Gaza, while several Palestinian prisoners would be released in exchange for the delivery of vulnerable hostages.

In a second phase, the remaining hostages would be released, within the framework of a permanent end to hostilities, while the third and final phase would consist of the beginning of the reconstruction of the Strip and the delivery of the bodies of the hostages who have already died.