Qatar’s MoFA spokesman said the worsening situation in Gaza is unacceptable and appealed to the international community to ensure Israel’s occupation of Palestine comes to an end.
The spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has confirmed that his country will continue engaging in mediation efforts to put an end to the humanitarian crises in Gaza.
“Mediation efforts between the Palestinians and Israel are still ongoing and will not stop, regardless of the circumstances on the ground,” Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari said during a weekly media briefing held on Tuesday.
These efforts are geared towards reinstating a ceasefire, ensuring the safe release of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli captives.
His statement comes as the death toll in Gaza has escalated to at least 25,490 people since October 7.
A further 63,000 Palestinians have been left injured by Israel’s indiscriminate shelling.
The majority of the enclave’s homes and medical facilities have also been a target of the aggressor’s air, land and sea strikes.
Al Ansari highlighted that the situation in Gaza’s northern governorates is especially dire.
According to a Qatari MoFA communique, the unprecedented dire straits in northern Gaza are incomparable to anywhere else in the world.
“[There are] bodies in the streets, hundreds missing under the rubble and the rescue cries are gradually fading out amid a lack of efforts for aid delivery,” the communique said.
The MoFA spokesman said this was unacceptable and called on the international community to pressure Israel to end its violent occupation.
‘War will continue’
Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister has vowed to continue the bloodshed “on all fronts and in all sectors,” despite the sheer scale of carnage that has already been wreaked on Gaza.
According to Netanyahu, not only does this encompass violence in Gaza, but his fight also expands to Lebanon and Syria.
In response, Al Ansari stressed that this will cause nothing but greater loss.
He added that Qatar is involved in ongoing talks with their American counterparts, to mutually share perspectives on navigating the worsening crisis in Gaza.
Secretary-General António Guterres also echoed Al Ansari’s sentiment during his address to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday.
The UN chief said the collective punishment of Palestinians was “unjustifiable.”
With the winter freeze descending on Gaza, Guterres highlighted that Palestinian men, women and children are forced to live in substandard shelters without access to enough food, clean water or heating.
As Israel has forced scores of Palestinians to “cram” into the Rafah governorate, Guterres added that the spread of communicable disease is rife among those internally displaced.
He also said he welcomed Qatar’s cooperative initiatives to send aid missions to Gaza and added that he has also been in close contact with Qatari and Egyptian authorities to facilitate the release of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli captives.
