Our focus now is on how to end the war in Gaza: PM

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has said that Qatar’s focus now is on how to end the war in Gaza and ensure that it does not happen again.

“Our focus now is on how to end the war in Gaza and ensure that it does not happen again. The only way to prevent a repeat of the war in Gaza is to reach a political solution,” the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs told CBS in his first interview since Qatar helped broker the hostage deal between Hamas and Israel.

On some kind of diplomatic agreement to end the conflict and Qatar’s role in it, the PM said, “Well, our relationship is with the Palestinian people, with the Palestinian cause. Our support for the Palestinian people has been ongoing for decades. And this is what Qatar stood for. Whoever is governing the Palestinians, it’s their choice. And I believe that our focus right now is how to end this war, how to ensure that this is not repeated. And the only way to ensure that this is not repeated is to resolve it peacefully, to have a political solution and provide the Palestinian people with a political horizon for a state. And then the day after and who will govern Gaza and the West Bank should be one unit, one country, under one leadership that will be chosen by the Palestinian people.”

“For the support of the Palestinian people, definitely we will continue that,” the PM added.

When asked whether the four-day truce will be extended, the PM said, “We are hopeful. According to the agreement that has been agreed upon in the last few days for this four days pause.”

The agreement has a provision that if Hamas are — will be able to prove, to locate, and secure some of the hostages that are within the criteria of the first group, which is women and children, then it will be extended depends on -- on the number that they will have. This is something we cannot confirm yet until we get to the fourth day, then Hamas should present the list if they are available with them.”

The PM continued, “Our delegation who have reached Israel and Gaza, they are totally two separate delegation. Gaza delegation is focused on ensuring that humanitarian aid are sufficient, that they are going to - the humanitarian aid that’s going in Gaza and it’s a pure humanitarian mission. Our delegation who are in Israel, they are in Doha that monitor the operation of the releases and ensuring that everything and any concern that addressed as early as possible.”

On the release of Americans, the PM said, “Well, we are hopeful, actually, there are still some names, which supposed to be on the first group. Until now, we didn’t get the confirmation yet. But you know, we are working on a daily basis and making sure that every day we have the rest of the next day. So we are hopeful that to have- to have a confirmation of, you know, a proof of life for them and hopefully, the result at the end of the agreement. As I mentioned, things are happening on a daily basis and we are focused on today’s operation and hopefully that will happen very shortly from now.”