Emirate denies reports
Qatar remains willing to mediate in the Gaza war
There are currently hardly any hopes of a ceasefire in the Gaza war. Qatar remains available as a mediator, but only wants to continue the talks if the conflicting parties are serious about it.
The Gulf emirate of Qatar has denied reports of an end to its role as mediator between Israel and the Islamist Hamas for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. Relevant media reports were false, said Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari.
Qatar informed the conflict parties ten days ago that the country would suspend its role as mediator if there was no agreement. “Qatar will continue these efforts with its partners if the parties show the will and seriousness to end the brutal war,” he said. It initially remained unclear whether the mediation efforts were currently on hold or whether there were still ongoing discussions.
Since the start of the Gaza war more than a year ago, Qatar, along with mediators the United States and Egypt, helped facilitate the exchange of Hamas hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. In November 2023, more than 100 hostages were released from Hamas during a brief ceasefire. Since then, there have been numerous indirect negotiations between the warring parties about another possible ceasefire, including in the Qatari capital Doha, but no new breakthrough.
Hamas has had an office in Doha since 2012
Qatar is seen as an important mediator thanks to ties with Hamas that date back to the 1990s. In 2012, Hamas opened a political office in Qatar following the unrest of the Arab uprisings in the region. A lot of money had already flowed from Qatar to Hamas, which took power in the Gaza Strip in 2007. After Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, calls for the Qatari government to close the office became louder.
The Foreign Ministry has now also denied reports of an allegedly ordered closure of the Hamas office in Doha. “The main objective of the Qatar office is to be a communication channel between the concerned parties,” Al-Ansari said. In previous phases of the negotiations, this helped to temporarily achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
The EU, the USA and Israel consider the Islamist Hamas a terrorist organization.
Qatar’s support for Islamists
Doha has long had a reputation for supporting Islamist groups in the Middle East. These include the Afghan Taliban as well as Islamist actors in Syria and Turkey. Experts see these efforts as an attempt to expand their own influence in the region.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
