Qatari PM says Israeli aggression derailing peace efforts, no progress in ceasefire talks
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has said unrelenting Israeli attacks on Gaza are eroding renewed hopes for peace that followed the release of American Israeli captive Edan Alexander last week.
“We thought that moment would open a door to end this tragedy, but the response was a more violent wave of strikes,” Sheikh Mohammed said at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha. “This irresponsible, aggressive behaviour undermines any potential chance for peace.”
He also provided an update on recent ceasefire negotiations in the Qatari capital, which he says have so far not led anywhere.
“There is a fundamental gap between the two parties,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “One party is looking for a partial deal that might … lead to a comprehensive deal, and the other party is looking just for a one-off deal … and to end the war and to get all the hostages out.”
“We couldn’t bridge this fundamental gap,” he added.
Israel thinking about recalling negotiating team: Report
Israel’s government is considering pulling its negotiating team out of Qatar after a week of talks there, according to local news organisation Channel 12.
The report comes as Qatar’s prime minister says negotiations in the country “didn’t lead us anywhere”, with mediators unable to bridge a “fundamental gap” between Israel and Hamas.
Israel seemed reluctant to send negotiations in the first place, but did so after the US privately negotiated the release of Edan Alexander, an American Israeli soldier who had been held captive in the Gaza Strip.
