Doha, 05 Nov 2023

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of State of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani stressed that the situation in the Gaza Strip has deteriorated to worse levels a month after the outbreak of fighting in the occupied Palestinian territories, indicating that the Israeli occupation is committing genocidal practices and crimes of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people.

In a press conference held on Sunday with Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, Catherine Colonna, he said that today’s talks focused on all the political and humanitarian dimensions of this crisis. The talks also discussed Qatar’s priorities in continuing the efforts aimed at mediation through the release of hostages and the need for relief convoys and humanitarian aid to flow adequately and without interruption to the Palestinian brethren besieged in the Gaza Strip without food, water, or medicine.

He added that during the talks, the State of Qatar emphasized the necessity of resuming the provision of all basic needs for the civilians, including communications services, in addition to supplying health institutions with fuel, the depletion of which threatens to put more hospitals in the Strip out of service and threatens the lives of thousands of sick and wounded people.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out that every day the Israeli occupation continues to commit genocidal practices and crimes of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people, not to mention the indiscriminate bombing of hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and other civilian facilities, in which the displaced, women, children, and the elderly have taken shelter.

He pointed out the indiscriminate intensified bombing that everyone witnessed over the past few days, especially in residential neighborhoods. He indicated that the occupation justified those bombings on suspicion of the presence of a leader there, making the cost of such targeting reach more than 400 persons in one neighborhood. He said that the international community;s reactions to those targeting were not at the required level and may sometimes be shameful.

Prime Minister of Qatar said that the continuation of these practices, despite the United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate, permanent, and sustainable humanitarian truce leading to the cessation of hostilities, undermines international efforts aimed at maintaining international peace and security. His Excellency indicated that those policies not only led to an escalation in violence but also contributed to the complexity of humanitarian and relief efforts that would alleviate the human suffering of our brethren in Gaza.

During the press conference, he stressed the demand that the international community assumes its moral and legal responsibilities to put an end to the ongoing Israeli escalation, which is inconsistent with all human and moral values and the rules of international law, expressing his thanks and appreciation to the French Republic for its vote in favor of this resolution in the UN General Assembly, while many countries have failed the Palestinian people, either by voting against them or abstaining from voting.

He indicated that the reactions to what is happening in Gaza did not live up to the scale of this humanitarian catastrophe as the international community continues to deal with this crisis with double standards, which has shaken the confidence of the peoples of the region in the international system.

He underscored the State of Qatar’s firm stance in condemning all forms of targeting civilians, regardless of their ethnic, religious, or national backgrounds, stressing the necessity of coordination with regional and international partners to reach an immediate and sustainable truce that leads to the halt of hostilities and the immediate flow of humanitarian aid without any obstacles.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out that during this war, the world witnessed precedents that never occurred in any other wars in the past decades by using humanitarian aid as a means of putting pressure on these besieged people and the inability of the international system to meet their needs, pointing out that the negotiations revolve around the number of trucks allowed to have access, and how to protect the employees of humanitarian institutions, who perform a humanitarian role.

He noted that various international institutions have stated that what is being used in this war is unprecedented, as many of their employees were exposed to high risks, while about 70 UN employees were killed during this war.

During the press conference, he affirmed the continuation of Qatari mediation efforts regarding releasing hostages, although these efforts are at risk in light of the spread of false reports and leaks about the negotiations, in addition to the complexity of the field situation due to the practices of the Israeli occupation army. He stressed the determination of the State of Qatar to exercise its efforts, based on its firm policy and humanitarian values, to release all civilian hostages and return them to their families and for the brothers in Gaza to enjoy security and safety, and for civilians to be protected from the war machine that has been brutalizing them since last month.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said that the State of Qatar welcomed the successful first evacuation operation via the Rafah crossing in early November and that the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt played a major role in the success and facilitation of the operation, calling for more evacuation operations to be conducted, for foreigners and the injured whose health conditions require treatment abroad.

He stressed that the State of Qatar will spare no effort in supporting the brotherly Palestinian people, and hoped for the continuation of efforts to spare civilians the consequences of fighting and to protect the region from the risk of sliding into a wider cycle of violence.

He said that coordination with regional and international partners will continue, including with the French Republic, to find an immediate solution to this crisis, reiterating that the international community has a moral responsibility to resolve the Palestinian issue once and for all, on the basis of ending the occupation, implementing the resolutions of international legitimacy, and the Arab Peace Initiative; ensuring the establishment of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In turn, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic,  Catherine Colonna affirmed that Qatar and France want to solve all problems, noting the worrying situation in this part of the world.

Addressing the press conference, She said that the State of Qatar undoubtedly plays an important role and that it is dependable in these very difficult moments. She stressed the need to deliver international aid to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians, noting the usefulness of the previous small delivery, however, she added that it does not respond to the needs of the people of Gaza, which are much greater, leading to the need to make more swift efforts to try to stop this humanitarian catastrophe.

She called for enabling an urgent and constant delivery of aid by imposing a ceasefire and an end of hostilities, referring to the October 26 UN resolution to that end, on which France voted in favor and supported this vision, saying that the Security Council must live up to its responsibility and adopt a motion. She added that France is working with its partners, especially Brazil.

She indicated that in cooperation with its partners and humanitarian agencies, France will organize on November 9, a humanitarian conference for the civilian population in Gaza, stressing the need to find the appropriate response to protect civilians by implementing the following 3 goals: upholding respect of the international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers, restoring access to humanitarian aid, water, and electricity, in addition to calling for mobilization for the protection of civilians in Gaza.

French minister stressed the need to protect civilians since many are dying in the bombing of Gaza, especially in hospitals and schools, as well as the importance of protecting journalists, noting that civilians in Gaza should not pay the price.

She condemned the violence committed by settlers in the West Bank, pointing to the need to avoid the ignition or spread of war in the region, especially in Lebanon.

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs affirmed that her country will make every effort to prevent this war from spilling over, and to discuss the possibility of reaching a diplomatic and peaceful solution, indicating that Palestinians have the right to live in peace in an independent state, based on the two-state solution.

She expressed her gratitude to the State of Qatar and its efforts to ensure the release of all hostages, as well as its concern for the security of all foreigners in Gaza, including French citizens, and for the people who suffer from the fragile situation there.