Meds for hostages reportedly handed to Qatari officials as Israel-Hamas deal inches forward

Medications for the hostages in Gaza have reportedly been handed over to Qatari officials, as the deal between Israel and Hamas moves forward.

The Qatari representatives are now slated to bring the medications to the Gaza border and hand them over to a third party, which will deliver them to the hostages, Haaretz reports, without citing a source.

As part of the deal with Hamas, Israel has agreed to facilitate the expansion of medical aid as part of the humanitarian assistance that goes into Gaza for Palestinians.

The sides are still negotiating whether the Red Cross will be the third party that will deliver the medications to the hostages, Haaretz says.

Other options being looked at are representatives from the UN or another international aid group, the report says.

The Red Cross has lost significant credibility in the eyes of Israel, which has blasted the international aid group for failing to secure visits to the hostages.

Red Cross officials retort that publicly pressuring Hamas on the issue wouldn’t work and would harm efforts to maintain the neutrality that allows them to operate in conflict zones around the world.