Since the beginning of the conflict, Qatar has played the role of mediator between the warring parties and the major powers. He is currently active in the ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip.
Qatar is in the process of “reviewing” its mediation between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas, announced this Wednesday, April 17, the prime minister of this Gulf country, which has a leading role in the negotiations on the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“We are conducting a global reassessment of our role,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan said at a joint news conference.
He felt that there had been an “attack on Qatar’s role” and that his country would make a “decision at the appropriate time” on whether or not to continue its participation in talks aimed at achieving a truce between the Islamists. The Palestinian movement Hamas and Israel have been at war for more than six months in the Gaza Strip.
“Unconstructive” American declaration
Qatar recently reacted angrily to a statement by Democratic US Representative Steny Hoyer calling on him to put pressure on Hamas, calling it “unconstructive”.
Steny Hoyer said Qatar should signal to Hamas that there will be “repercussions” if the Palestinian group blocks “progress” towards a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza.
For his part, Hakan Fidan accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of wanting to drag the Middle East into war “to stay in power.”
“It is obvious that (Benjamin) Netanyahu is trying to drag the region into a war in order to stay in power,” the Turkish foreign minister said.
Hakan Fidan considered the risk that the conflict in Gaza would spread to the region “persistent”. “We will redouble our efforts to put an end to this war,” he added at the end of the interview with Mohammed ben Abdelrahmane Al-Thani.
More than 30,000 dead
Hakan Fidan also indicated that he spoke with Hamas leader Ismaïl Haniyeh and members of the Palestinian Islamist movement’s political bureau in Doha on Wednesday, specifically on the topic of talks in favor of a ceasefire.
Ismail Haniyeh is scheduled to be received in Turkey this weekend by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the most critical leaders of Israel since the war began on October 7, triggered by an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israeli soil.
The attack resulted in the death of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to AFP based on official Israeli data. More than 250 people were abducted and 129 remain in custody in Gaza, of whom 34 have died according to Israeli officials.
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and has led an offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed 33,899 people, mostly civilians, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry.
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