Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed nearly 35,000 people in Gaza while displacing more than 85 percent of the population of 2.2 million.
Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater described women and children of Palestine as an icon of steadfastness and strength in the world.
Al Khater’s comments were made at the “Women for Palestine” conference on Saturday in Doha, under the theme ‘Safety is my right’.
The high official emphasised the fundamental principle that safety is an inherent entitlement for every individual, enshrined by both religious doctrines and legal frameworks.
She praised the resilience of Palestinian women and children, portraying them as symbols of fortitude and resilience, which has sparked a global awakening and has gone beyond the Palestine file.
Their endurance has catalysed a reevaluation of Western civilizational norms, prompting a reassessment of concepts such as freedom, equality, and women’s liberation, Al Khater added.
“Therefore, women, men and children of Palestine, we say that all of us and humanity owe you a lot,” she said.
Al Khater went on to address the pervasive discourse surrounding Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim women, criticising it as often superficial and lacking substantive action.
She pointed out that while many attempt to speak on behalf of women, none have been designated as their protectors or liberators from oppression.
The minister stressed the significance of initiatives, gatherings, and actions where Arab and Muslim women articulate their own perspectives, rooted in a firm cultural heritage that bring about genuine intellectual discourse.
Cultivating such sincere, proactive advocacy demands encouragement, educational empowerment, and the courage to pursue justice in all spheres, she said.
Palestinian women inherit a legacy of courage and resilience, noted Al Khater, adding that they have historically been leaders and exemplars of loyalty and strength, contributing significantly to the fabric of Arab and Islamic civilization.
The profound impact of events like the Nakba of 1948, marked by massacres and ethnic cleansing, ingrained in Palestinian women a deep sense of determination and defiance, she said.
Dr Amira Al Assouli, a courageous Palestinian physician, Al Khater noted, epitomises this bravery as she risks her life amidst the turmoil to save others.
Renewing Doha’s staunch commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause, Minister Al Khater pledged relentless efforts towards realising their legitimate rights, including self-determination and statehood with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
The Minister emphasised the conference’s imperative task of devising comprehensive strategies across humanitarian, legal, academic, and media domains to halt genocide and safeguard Gazan civilians.
Urgent, multidisciplinary action is needed to curb severe human rights violations and amplify international awareness to pressure for an end to the aggression.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed nearly 35,000 people in Gaza while displacing more than 85 percent of the population of 2.2 million.
Qatar, the host of a Hamas political office, has been playing a very significant mediating role in the release of captives from Gaza and striving for a ceasefire in the beleaguered Strip.
Doha and Cairo had mediated a week-long truce between November 24 and December 1 that led to the release of at least 110 Israeli and foreign captives from Gaza.
