Qatar is “reconsidering” its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas after its prime minister claimed his country was “exploited” by leaders while he oversaw hostage negotiations.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Thani said there was an “abuse” of Qatar’s mediation for “narrow political interests.”
He didn’t mention any politicians in his comments, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized Qatar and recently threatened to shut down Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera.
Top Hamas leaders live in exile in Qatar, which is seen as one of the few parties with influence over the militant group.
Al Thani said there are “limits” to the role of mediator and “the ability to which we can contribute to these negotiations in a constructive way.”
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Thani said on Wednesday that the country is reconsidering its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas.
Al Thani made his comments at a joint press conference in Doha, together with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (pictured left)
“Qatar is conducting a complete re-evaluation of its role,” Al Thani said yesterday at a joint press conference in Doha, together with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
“There is exploitation and abuse of Qatar’s role,” he said, adding that Qatar has been the victim of “point scoring” by “politicians who try to conduct election campaigns by denigrating the State of Qatar.”
Qatar has been a key intermediary throughout the Gaza war, playing a key role with the US and Egypt in negotiating a brief halt to fighting in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages.
The three countries have been holding behind-the-scenes talks for weeks with the aim of securing a ceasefire in war-torn Gaza and the release of 133 Israeli prisoners held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in the Gaza Strip. Israeli prisons.
Mediators have tried to push Hamas and Israel toward a ceasefire deal, hoping to reach an agreement before the start of Ramadan last month, but the sides remain far apart on key terms.
Earlier Wednesday, Al Thani said negotiations had reached a standstill.
“We are going through a sensitive phase with some stagnation, and we are trying to tackle this stagnation as much as possible,” the Qatari prime minister said.
Al Thani’s comments come after US Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer on Monday criticized Doha’s mediation role and threatened to “re-evaluate” ties between Washington and Doha.
Hoyer said Qatar should threaten Hamas with “repercussions” if the militant Palestinian group “continues to block progress toward the release of the hostages and the establishment of a temporary ceasefire.”
The Qatari embassy in Washington responded to Hoyer’s comments, calling them “surprising” and “not constructive.”
“Qatar is just a mediator; we have no control over Israel or Hamas. Israel and Hamas are fully responsible for reaching an agreement,” the Qatari embassy said in an earlier statement on Tuesday.
The Gulf’s diplomatic force has faced criticism from both US and Israeli officials since it began its mediation role in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre led by Hamas against Israel.
Palestinian media reported yesterday that heavy bombing and fighting had taken place around the Nuseirat refugee camp
Palestinians gather to inspect a collapsed building after an Israeli attack in the Yibta refugee camp in Rafah, Gaza on April 17, 2024
On Wednesday, Israeli airstrikes were reported across the Gaza Strip, including in the southern city of Rafah
There have been days of heavy bombing and fighting in and around central Gaza, according to local reports
This is despite Qatar’s crucial role in mediating the release of more than a hundred prisoners from the clutches of Hamas last year.
The ceasefire talks come against the backdrop of a humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza, where Palestinians are facing severe shortages of food, power, medicine and other essentials.
During a week-long ceasefire in November, 105 hostages – most of them women and children – were released in exchange for about 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
At yesterday’s press conference in Doha, Qatari and Turkish officials stressed the urgent need to end the brutal war in Gaza.
The conflict has entered its seventh month with no plans for a ceasefire in sight – and with the number of Palestinians killed approaching 34,000, Gaza’s health ministry said.
US President Joe Biden also expressed concerns about the conflict in the Middle East and reiterated his demands for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
“The United States is committed to a ceasefire that will bring the hostages home and prevent the conflict from spreading,” Biden said in the Oval Office ahead of his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shyaa Al-Sudani on Monday, following Iran’s attack on Iran. Israel this weekend.
Iran launched about 350 drones and missiles on land – most of which were intercepted thanks to Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system and help from the British and US militaries.
Qatar’s Prime Minister said Doha had “warned from the beginning of this war about the expansion of the circle of conflict, and today we see conflicts on several fronts.”
“We continually call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and stop this war,” he added, saying the people of Gaza were facing “siege and hunger,” with humanitarian aid being used as an ‘instrument for political blackmail’.
Palestinian media reported yesterday that heavy bombing and fighting had taken place around the Nuseirat refugee camp, where 11 members of the al-Nouri family were reportedly killed in an attack on their home on Tuesday.
The Israeli military also said its forces had carried out a raid “to arrest terrorists hiding in schools” in the northern city of Beit Hanoun.
A number of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives were arrested and others who resisted were killed, it added.
IDF forces have been accused of beating and torturing captured Palestinians, including UN personnel
A truck carrying humanitarian aid arrives for processing at the Kerem Shalom (Karm Abu Salem) border crossing on April 15
Palestinians gather to receive aid outside an UNRWA warehouse as Gaza residents face a hunger crisis, March 18, 2024
Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been accused of beating and torturing captured Palestinians – including UN personnel – and subjecting them to extreme sexual violence.
The allegations were documented Tuesday in a United Nations report, which was fiercely disputed by Israel.
Israeli soldiers reportedly kept prisoners in cages, deprived them of food, water and sleep and tortured them during interrogations.
This happened as Israeli authorities released more than 150 Palestinian prisoners on Monday morning after arresting them in various parts of the Gaza Strip.
The prisoners were delivered to Kerem Shalom, a border crossing on the border of Egypt, Israel and Gaza.
The devastating UNRWA report is based on information obtained as a result of the group’s role in providing humanitarian assistance at the border crossing.
Released Palestinians claim they were forced to drink toilet water, attacked by dogs and threatened with the death of their family members, the UN report said.
A 41-year-old man quoted in the report said he was sexually assaulted with a hot metal rod.
He said he was also beaten with shoes and saw other inmates succumb to their injuries.
