Gaza talks at critical moment, ceasefire not complete, Qatar's prime minister says

Mediators are working to force the next phase of ceasefire forward, he says

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas speaks, near Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and journalist Christiane Amanpour, as they attend the first day of the 23rd edition of the annual Doha Forum, in Doha, Qatar, Dec 6, 2025. REUTERS

Negotiations on consolidating the US-backed truce in the war in Gaza are at a "critical" moment, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Saturday.

Mediators are working to force the next phase of the ceasefire forward, al-Thani, whose country has been a key mediator in the war, said during a panel discussion at the Doha Forum conference in Qatar.

Violence has subsided but not stopped since the Gaza truce took effect on Oct 10.

"We are at a critical moment. It's not yet there. So what we have just done is a pause," al-Thani said.

"We cannot consider it yet a ceasefire. A ceasefire cannot be completed unless there is a full withdrawal of the Israeli forces - (until) there is stability back in Gaza, people can go in and out - which is not the case today."

Talks on achieving the next stages of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the two-year war in the Palestinian enclave have been continuing.

The plan calls for an interim technocratic Palestinian government in Gaza, overseen by an international "board of peace" and backed by an international security force. Agreeing on the makeup and mandate of that force has been particularly challenging.

On Thursday, an Israeli delegation held talks in Cairo with mediators on the return of the last hostage held in Gaza, which would complete an initial part of Trump's plan.

Since the truce started, Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages and 27 bodies in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian detainees and convicted prisoners.

Although fighting has diminished, Israel has continued to attack Gaza and demolish what it says is Hamas infrastructure. Hamas and Israel have traded blame for violations.

On Saturday, the Israeli military said that its forces, deployed behind the so-called yellow line of withdrawal agreed in the ceasefire, had opened fire on Palestinian militants who had crossed the line, killing three.

There were no immediate details from Gaza health authorities on the incident or the identities of those killed.