ISTANBUL

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Wednesday that a proposed stabilization force to be deployed in Gaza under a ceasefire deal should not protect one side over another.

Speaking to Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel after meetings in Washington with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of US Congress, Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar raised concerns over repeated ceasefire violations in Gaza, warning that such breaches place mediators in an “embarrassing position.”

“We do not want a stabilization force in Gaza that serves to protect one party at the expense of another,” he said.

The prime minister said he agreed with Rubio to “double efforts” to reach the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, noting that preparations are underway for a meeting between mediators to develop a clear framework for transitioning to the next stage.

Sheikh Mohammed underscored that the humanitarian situation in Gaza featured prominently in discussions with Congress members, reiterating Qatar’s call for the “unconditional” entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

“The current situation in Gaza puts the agreement at risk every day,” he said, warning that continued violations could derail the ceasefire entirely.

On Syria, the Qatari premier said Doha supports lifting US sanctions on Damascus to enable economic recovery, describing the moment as an opportunity “to activate joint efforts to support the Syrian government following the removal of sanctions.”

He reaffirmed Qatar’s support for “Syria’s territorial unity and fair treatment of all Syrians.”