Doha: Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, reaffirmed on Wednesday that Qatar and the mediating parties are focused on ensuring the durability of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with the Council on Foreign Relations, His Excellency said, “We have been engaging intensively with both parties in order to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza. Fortunately, both sides recognize that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza must hold.”
Referring to Israeli attacks on Gaza on Tuesday, the prime minister said, “What happened yesterday in Gaza is disappointing, and we have worked to contain it. Washington remains committed to the agreement.”
“Our mission today is to ensure that the war comes to an end and that the understandings reached in Sharm El Sheikh are implemented,” he added.
“The war is extremely complex, and so is the solution. We are working to create a political horizon for the Palestinian people,” he said, noting that “the Israelis will have to withdraw from Gaza, and the root causes of the war must be addressed.”
He explained that U.S. President H E Donald Trump’s plan stipulates that governance in Gaza will be temporary until the Palestinian Authority completes its reforms and becomes ready to assume its role in the Strip.
His Excellency further confirmed that several countries in the region are contributing to efforts aimed at reforming the Palestinian Authority and that progress is being made.
Commenting on the Israeli aggression on Doha in September, the prime minister said, “The attack on Qatar was a shock to the entire world. The buildings that were targeted were located in a residential area that included schools and embassies.”
“We felt betrayed because, as mediators, we were the ones attacked — something no one could have ever imagined,” he added.
The prime minister also emphasized that Qatar has played the role of mediator in a large number of conflicts and possesses the ability to act wisely and effectively to resolve them.
