Ibrahim al-Khazen
19 February 2024•Update: 19 February 2024
DOHA, Qatar
Qatar on Monday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war in the Gaza Strip.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said Netanyahu’s statements in which he called on Doha to pressure Hamas to release Israeli hostages were “nothing but a new attempt to stall and prolong the war for reasons that have become obvious to everyone.”
“The Israeli Prime Minister knows very well that Qatar has been committed from day one to mediation efforts, ending the crisis and freeing the hostages,” he said in a statement.
“This was made evident by the success of the previous humanitarian truce in freeing 109 hostages proving that mediation is the only effective method in securing the return of the hostages, deescalation, and protecting regional security.”
A deal in November saw the release of 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners held by Hamas in exchange for 240 Palestinians, including 71 women and 169 children.
“We categorically reject the empty accusations made by the Israeli Prime Minister regarding Qatari efforts in reconstruction and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza, portraying them as funding Hamas, which he personally knows were carried out in full coordination with Israel, the US, Egypt, the United Nations, and all concerned parties,” al-Ansari said.
Qatar stressed that it will continue its mediation efforts and “will not be deterred by rhetoric and statements that can only be understood in the context of escaping from the Israeli Prime Minister's personal political challenges.”
“We call on him to focus on the path of negotiations that serves the security of the region and end the ongoing tragedy of the war instead of issuing such statements whenever it suits his narrow political agenda,” the spokesman said.
Hamas is believed to be holding more than 130 Israeli hostages following its Oct. 7 cross-border attack into Israel.
Israel has since pounded the Gaza Strip. The ensuing Israeli attacks have killed nearly 29,092 and injured about 69,028 with mass destruction and shortages of necessities, while less than 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio
