Qatar is re-evaluating its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas on reaching a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and will take an “appropriate decision,” Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Wednesday.
Al Thani's remarks came during a press conference held in Doha with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, Qatar News Agency reported.
He said “the meeting comes at a sensitive time in the region, following the recent escalation,” referring to Iran's military response to Israel's April 1 airstrike on its diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital.
He said consultations were held with Türkiye's foreign minister and they agreed on “the necessity for all parties to resort to de-escalation, dialogue and resolving issues in the region logically, not through weapons and violence.”
Al Thani noted that “coordination with Türkiye is ongoing, and we appreciate Türkiye's positions in supporting Palestine.”
He added that the meeting also included “consultations on the latest developments in the war in the Gaza Strip and emphasized the importance of the international community rising to its responsibility to put an end to Israeli escalation, as well as discussing the latest developments in negotiations for a cease-fire in the Strip.”
Regarding the cease-fire negotiations in Gaza, the he said “Doha has positively contributed to building towards negotiations, attempted to bridge the gap between the parties, and it took months, and there were extensive disagreements, and we tried with partners in Egypt and the United States to bridge that gap and provide proposals.”
He noted that “the mediator's role is limited and cannot offer things that the parties themselves refrain from,” without elaborating.
“Unfortunately, there is misuse of this mediation for narrow political interests, which requires a comprehensive evaluation of the mediation role.”
Al Thani pointed out that “Doha engaged in this (mediation) process from a humanitarian, national and patriotic perspective to protect our brothers in Palestine.”
“Unfortunately, there are bids from some politicians with narrow interests as they try to conduct election campaigns...and they say completely different things behind closed doors.”
He emphasized that “Doha is committed to its role, but there are limits to this role.”
He indicated that “Qatar will take the appropriate decision (regarding this evaluation) at the appropriate time.”
Regarding the possibility of the recent escalation between Israel and Iran expanding in the region, Al Thani said “the best way to reduce the escalation is to stop the war on Gaza.”
Qatar, Egypt and the US are trying to reach a hostage swap deal and a cease-fire in Gaza, as the first pause lasted only a week in late November last year, which resulted in limited aid entering the Gaza Strip as well as exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, mostly women and children detained in Israeli jails.
Through the mediation of these countries, a temporary cease-fire agreement was reached between the parties lasting for a week until the beginning of December.
Israel has waged a military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October which killed nearly 1,200 people.
Nearly 33,900 Palestinians have since been killed and 76,664 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the seaside enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.
The war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while much of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered it to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala
