'Good progress' in the mediation talks with Gaza: PM

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, has expressed that the current status of mediation efforts regarding the Gaza war is significantly improved compared to a few weeks ago.

"Our main role as a mediator is trying our best to get a negotiated solution where it can bring the hostages safely back to their homes, yet also stopping the bombing and the continuation of the killing of the civilians," stated the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in a speech at the Atlantic Council yesterday.

He claimed that everything was operating smoothly in November, when 109 hostages were freed, but sadly, things broke down at that point.

“The intensity of war made the situation more complex,” he added.

Regarding the mediation talks that took place in Paris, he said: “I think yesterday good progress was made to get things back in shape to lay foundation for the way forward. We can not say that this will make us in better shape soon, but we are hoping actually to relay this proposal to Hamas and to get them to a place where they engage positively and constructively in the process, because we think that in today's world, I think that's the only game in town now and that will be the only way to get the situation de-escalated.”

Reaffirming Qatar's commitment to a two-state solution for a lasting resolution, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, expressed hope that both parties involved would seize the opportunity to halt the war and secure the release of hostages.

Regarding Qatar's influence on Hamas, he explained that the country utilizes its diplomatic channels to foster connections, bridge gaps, and propose solutions. This approach has proven effective in previous situations, such as in facilitating dialogues between the US and Iran, the US and the Taliban, and in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia concerning Ukrainian children. This method reflects Qatar's operational strategy in diplomatic endeavors.

“Beyond this leverage, we don’t see that Qatar as a superpower that can impose something on this party or the other party to bring them to some place.”

He asserted that the UN plays a crucial role, especially in relation to UNRWA. “We have been seeing the suffering that they have been facing with the cut of funding that’s happened to them, not now only, but even the shortage in funding that happened to them in the last few years.”

Responding to a different query, he denounced the attack on US forces in Jordan, calling it a violation of Jordan's sovereignty and a blow to the coalition's efforts to combat ISIS. 

“What we’ve been warning from the day one is the bigger picture in the region ... We’ve been warning from day one that this war has a potential of expanding and spill over in the region. And we are seeing this building up unfortunately in the last three months and half.”

He asserted that ending the conflict was a regional as well as a demand made by the people of Gaza. “We have seen the amount of destruction that happened. We have seen the number of victims. We cannot punish an entire population for an act of small group.”

He mentioned that Qatar remains dedicated to continuing its mediation efforts to find viable solutions that create a conducive environment for everyone involved. He also noted that the establishment of the Hamas political office in Qatar was done in coordination with the US, serving as a communication channel to defuse tensions in previous years.

In response to another question, he emphasized that the right to elect the government belongs exclusively to the Palestinian people and not any other country.

Regarding the Red Sea issue, he stated that at this time, Qatar is not acting as a mediator with the Houthis. He claimed that the events in the Red Sea are interfering with global trade. “Freedom of navigation is something very important for my country, for the entire region, for the world and something unacceptable to be messed up with.

“The only way forward for us to have a peaceful region is a two-state solution. That’s what Qatar stood for. That’s what we believe in, that the entire region has adopted long time ago.”

Source: The Peninsula