Expressing deep concern over the potential collapse of the ceasefire agreement, the PM stressed the urgent need to rally efforts to immediately implement the remaining stages of the deal.
The PM firmly rejected any notion of accepting the starvation of Palestinians or the use of humanitarian aid as a weapon of war, noting that Israel has blocked all aid entry into Gaza since March 2.
Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed Qatar’s steadfast commitment to working with its partners to end the conflict, undeterred by campaigns seeking to malign the mediators. “Defamation campaigns targeting Qatar will not deter us from continuing our efforts to achieve a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange,” he declared.
Regarding what is referred to as “QatarGate”, the PM said these are merely labels introduced by certain media outlets as part of baseless political propaganda.
“There are certain fringe politicians who propagate unfounded accusations against the State of Qatar, disregarding the fact that Qatar has consistently played a pivotal role in securing the release of over one hundred hostages previously from Gaza, and has recently contributed to the process of ceasefire,” he said.
The PM added that Qatar consistently strives to promote security and peace and has never been a party to fueling conflicts or tarnishing the reputation of other nations.
“We are a peace-loving nation, an authentic Arab Gulf state, and we shall remain so regardless of the increasing accusations and the intensifying media campaigns against us,” he said.
On the ongoing negotiations, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs explained that Hamas proposed releasing all hostages in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners, but under conditions that Israel has refused, insisting on retrieving the hostages without ending the war.
He stressed the necessity of reaching a permanent end to the conflict.
Regarding accusations that Qatar is supporting protests at American universities and promoting hate speech and antisemitism, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani dismissed these allegations as “baseless and absurd.” He affirmed, “We have never been involved in antisemitism, and the accusations against Qatar have been proven unfounded,” clarifying that any funding to universities passes through official governmental channels.
The PM said, “We also addressed today in a meeting the latest developments concerning the Iranian nuclear file. We were briefed on the updates regarding these negotiations and welcome the efforts undertaken by the brotherly Sultanate of Oman to mediate between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
On Syria, the PM said, “We welcome the steps taken by the new Syria administration in restructuring the Syrian state and enhancing consensus and unity among all Syrian parties, paving the way for the consolidation of civil peace, security and stability and building the state of law. The State of Qatar is continuously communicating and coordinating with all sisterly and friendly nations to support efforts aimed at achieving peace in Syria, And we believe that time has come to lift these sanctions in order to facilitate matters for our brothers in Syria.”
For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister HE Hakan Fidan emphasized the urgency of restoring the ceasefire in Gaza, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid, and implementing a prisoner exchange.
“There is no alternative but to exert pressure on Israel to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, and Qatar has made tremendous efforts in this regard,” Fidan said.
He also reiterated Turkey’s unwavering support for the two-state solution, stating: “We will continue our political efforts to achieve a two-state solution, enabling both Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace.”
Turning to the situation in Syria, Hakan Fidan stressed: “We categorically reject any intervention that undermines Syria’s territorial integrity. We also reject interference in Syrian affairs. We support the establishment of a system in which all Syrians can live together, protecting the country’s unity.”
He further underlined: “We oppose sectarian divisions, and the new Syrian constitution must represent all Syrians.”
