Qatar’s Prime Minister hopes for a breakthrough on hostages’ release soon
Qatari authorities, who have been working hard in the background to bring about a de-escalation of the situation in Gaza, were instrumental in the recent release of four Israeli men and women who had been taken hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said there was some progress on hostage negotiations. He hoped there would be a breakthrough on their releases ‘soon.’
“Hostage negotiations are ongoing. There’s been some progress in the last few days. If we compare where we are to where we started, there’s progress. We’re hopeful. And if we’re able to get any further, we’ll see some breakthrough soon,” he said.
Qatar, in coordination with the USA, is leading mediation talks with Hamas and Israeli officials over the hostages’ release as Israel prepares for a ground offensive.
During the meeting, Qatar and Turkiye examined all dimensions of the conflict — including mechanisms to reach a ceasefire ‘on all fronts’ and prevent further escalation — he said.
“Qatar condemns the collective punishment policy on Gaza. More than 2.3 million Palestinians are denied their basic necessities. The number of children killed in Gaza exceeds the number of children killed in Ukraine, but we haven’t seen the same reaction. This is a flagrant violation of international law,” said Sheikh Mohamed.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the world needed to act to end Israel’s war on Gaza, accusing them of targeting civilians in the besieged enclave.
“Israel is targeting civilians even in hospitals and places of worship. Every human being with a conscience should act to put an end to this brutality. We should act together and in unity. What Israeli occupation forces are exercising is a collective punishment against all the residents of Gaza. Gazans cannot be uprooted from their homeland,” he said.
Fidan said an Israeli ground operation into Gaza would turn the fighting there into a massacre. He added that those supporting Israel’s actions under the pretence of solidarity were ‘accomplices to its crimes.’
The Palestinian health ministry said on Wednesday that at least 5,791 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli bombardments since October 7, including 2,360 children. Some 704 were killed in the previous 24 hours alone.
---
Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.
Instagram - @qatarliving
Twitter - @qatarliving
Facebook - Qatar Living
YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
