Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Qatari Prime Minister mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, has suggested stepping down from the role.
According to Bloomberg News on the 17th (local time), Prime Minister Al Thani said, “Qatar is reevaluating its role as a mediator. There have been attempts to exploit Qatar’s role, and Qatar has become a victim of politicians trying to use criticism of Qatar for their election campaigns.”
He added, “There are limits to what we can do as mediators. Qatar will make the right choice at the right time.” However, he did not provide a detailed explanation of this matter.
Qatar, a notable pro-US country in the Middle East with deep ties to Hamas, has played a mediating role in the Gaza conflict alongside the United States and Egypt. Even when the Islamist organization Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, it had many achievements as a mediator, including taking charge of mediation with the United States and Europe.
Recently, it has been mediating negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, which have been at war since October last year. It has managed to secure the release of some hostages and halt the fighting. However, no further progress has been made, such as additional hostage releases or a ceasefire, as the two sides have disagreed on terms.
Prime Minister Al Thani explained, “We are passing a sensitive stage with time being wasted. We are working to resolve the situation, advance negotiations, end the suffering of the people of Gaza, and ensure the safe return of the hostages.”
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