The Doha Forum 2023 begins in Qatar, and will last from December 10 to 11.

The 21st Doha Forum began in Qatar on Sunday, bringing together leaders, government officials, heads of multilateral organisations, private sector executives, think tanks, and influential policy makers.

In the opening address, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said his country will continue to pressure Israel to reach a truce in its war on Gaza, despite “narrowing” chances.

The PM said that captives were released from Gaza because of negotiations and not because of Israel’s military actions, which have killed over 17,000 Palestinians – mostly civilians, women and children.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also gave an address at the opening of the forum on Sunday.

Guterres warned of the risk of the collapse of the humanitarian system due to Israel’s war on Gaza.

“Last week, I delivered a letter to the President of the UN Security Council invoking Article 99 of the Charter of the UN for the first time since I became Secretary General in 2017,” he said.

“I wrote that there is no effective protection of civilians in Gaza. As a matter of fact, during my mandate, the number of civilian casualties in Gaza in such a short period is totally unprecedented. 

“We are facing a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system. The situation is fast deteriorating into a catastrophe with potentially irreversible implications for Palestinians as a whole and for peace and security in the region.”

The Forum, which ends on Monday, is poised to delve into contemporary global and regional issues, fostering comprehensive conversations among diverse stakeholders.