Qatar leader in talks with Hamas over Gaza ceasefire
Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani is set to arrive in Paris on February 27 a day prior to meeting with Hamas’ top official, France 24 reported.
The conversations with Emmanuel Macron will be regarding the abject situation in Gaza, where over 30,000 have been killed since October, as well as a push towards achieving a permanent ceasefire in the enclave.
Qatar has been a key mediator between Palestinian militants Hamas and Israel and were largely responsible for achieving a temporary pause in the fighting in November. The deal, which fell apart due to Israeli intelligence agency Mossad storming out of negotiations, allowed dozens of hostages taken by Hamas to be released as well as the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners wrongfully banged up in Israeli dungeons and the fighting was paused for a period of 9 days.
There are around 120 Israeli hostages still in Gaza and human rights groups have said that close to 8,000 Palestinians are languishing in Israeli prisons.
A statement from President Macron’s office confirmed that he will reiterate “efforts to release Israelis held by Hamas and to reach an agreement for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip” with his Qatari counterpart.
READ: Hamas “gives positive response” to Qatar truce draft
On February 26, the Qatari supremo welcomed Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh at the Lusail Palace in Doha.
Their conversation was dominated by the need for a ceasefire but talks regarding the situation in Gaza and illegally occupied Palestinian territories were by no means an outcast.
The Emir emphasised that Qatar’s position was that Palestine needed to be a free and independent state “based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital”
Far-right Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected all calls for a cessation of hostilities and has vowed to “crush Hamas”.
With regards to the recognition of a Palestinian state, the Israeli premier has reiterated that he does not support such a move despite pressure from the international community.
Following a vote on the matter in the country’s parliament on February 21, in which lawmakers were largely supportive of Netanyahu’s position, the unhinged Prime Minister stated, “The Knesset came together in an overwhelming majority against the attempt to impose on us the establishment of a Palestinian state, which would not only fail to bring peace but would endanger the state of Israel.”
France 24
