Doha, October 24 (QNA) – HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani stressed the need to end this painful phase that the region is going through as quickly as possible and the need for everyone to act responsibly toward the innocent and civilians.

His Excellency added, during a joint press conference held this evening with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the past few days have seen an intensification of Israeli attacks on Gaza, especially in the northern region. His Excellency renewed his condemnation of the siege imposed on northern Gaza, the systematic bombing of hospitals and refugee camps, which has escalated to the dropping of barrel bombs on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs affirmed that Qatar’s policy regarding the situation in the region remains unchanged, as it continues to communicate with all parties to contain the situation and avoid any escalation that could ignite the region. His Excellency added that the State of Qatar is working to stop the wars in Gaza and Lebanon and to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire in the region. His Excellency pointed out that the Arab region has witnessed enough, and that it was time to focus on restoring peace to the region and its peoples, and achieving prosperity and development instead of endless talks of conflicts and escalation.

Regarding Qatar’s mediation efforts to contain the situation, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said that efforts to end the war have been ongoing since Oct. 8, 2023, as well as efforts to prevent the expansion of the conflict. His Excellency noted that these efforts led in November 2023 to the release of some prisoners and hostages and a temporary ceasefire. His Excellency expressed regret that, since that time, challenges to reach another agreement were significant, and that progress failed despite coming close to a solution on a number of occasions. His Excellency attributed the lack of progress to the limited role of the mediator, especially when one of the parties is not engaged in the talks constructively and positively. His Excellency expressed hope that this behavior has changed, and that pressure would be applied on all parties to reach positive outcomes and an agreement to end the war. His Excellency also pointed out that the State of Qatar’s role is mediation, and its policy is not to speak about who is hindering the process or to disclose information or details of the different stages of negotiations.

Regarding Israel’s allegation that some Al Jazeera journalists are affiliated with Hamas, His Excellency said that Al Jazeera is an independent media institution that operates from Doha, expressing the State of Qatar’s pride of the institution, highlighting that it has earned respect from everyone. His Excellency noted that Al Jazeera’s coverage in various conflict zones around the world has been praised, and that it was not only covering Middle Eastern events but also the conflict in Ukraine and other areas. His Excellency highlighted that journalists have never been treated like they have been in Gaza. His Excellency noted that Al Jazeera operates according to international standards and this war showed that it is difficult to believe Israels accusations and claims. His Excellency said that the Qatari reconstruction mission was bombed by Israeli forces on the pretext that there were tunnels, but it turned out to be water tanks that had been there for decades. His Excellency emphasized the need to protect journalists and the press in conflict zones as required by international law, and that there is no justification for targeting journalists or civilians in conflict areas.

At the start of the press conference, HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, welcomed the US Secretary of State and noted that their meeting was important and fruitful, providing an opportunity to discuss the latest developments in the Gaza war and the path to finding a solution, as well as the ongoing efforts between Qatar, the United States, Egypt, and regional partners to stop the war and secure the return of hostages and prisoners.

His Excellency explained that the discussion also addressed ways to stop the war in Lebanon and how to reach an urgent solution to halt this aggression and adhere to UN Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 1701. He emphasized that the State of Qatar has warned since the beginning of this war about the risk of the conflict expanding into other areas of the Middle East.
His Excellency clarified that the meeting discussed the importance of finding a sustainable solution to the Palestinian issue, specifically the concept of the day after Gaza, which aims to establish a stable and sustainable situation in Gaza and the West Bank, leading to a permanent solution to the Palestinian cause, while keeping the two-state solution as the main reference for this process.

For his part, HE US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his appreciation to the State of Qatar for the key role it plays as a partner in achieving peace, stability and progress in the region, noting that it has made great efforts to return the hostages to their homes and reach a ceasefire.

During the press conference, His Excellency praised the State of Qatar’s generosity, which provided thousands of tons of food, life-saving equipment and medicines to those affected, in addition to the significant aid provided by the US to help the people of Gaza, where more than USD1.2 billion has been allocated to help the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and provide them with food, water and medicines, in addition to allocating an additional $2.5 billion to the region.

HE the US Secretary of State warned that providing aid to the borders with Gaza is not enough, but it is also important that this aid reaches the people who need it, so it is necessary for Israel to take sustainable and urgent measures to deliver aid, and there is progress and positive steps in this regard.

He highlighted efforts to ensure that the war in Gaza would not expand to include other countries in the region, and that the escalation does not become huge and the conflict does not become broader, noting the need to work to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the great challenges facing children, women and men there, especially with the approach of winter.

Regarding the situation in Lebanon, Blinken said Israel must take the necessary measures to avoid targeting civilians, Lebanese army forces, and peacekeeping forces.

There are diligent efforts to reach a diplomatic solution and to fully implement Resolution 1701, allowing residents on both sides to return to their homes and live in peace and security, and also supporting Lebanese efforts to strengthen its institutions so that the Lebanese can enjoy prosperity and security, he said. 

He added the US has provided assistance to the Lebanese army and is working with other partners to support the army with the resources it needs so that it can take responsibility for security throughout Lebanon and to ensure that Lebanon can reassert its sovereignty.

The US will continue to support the Lebanese parties in this regard, and also to reach a presidency that reflects the aspirations of the Lebanese. There is a diligent work plan undertaken with the Qatari side to achieve peace and security throughout the region, Blinken said.

HE Blinken said that the US completely rejects the Generals’ Plan that is being discussed in the Hebrew media as does the Israeli government. Any effort that aims to starve and besiege people and separate northern Gaza from the rest of the other areas in the Strip is strongly rejected, he said.

The focus now is intensively on the situation of the people in Gaza, especially getting the assistance they need and ensuring that the standards of international humanitarian law are respected. There are approaches to ensure that these standards are respected and the ability to protect people and get them the assistance they need is consolidated, he added. (QNA)