Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman, during a visit to the US capital, Washington, said that preparations are underway with the American side to hold a meeting between mediators next Friday, with the aim of developing a clear vision for how to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which came into effect on October 10.
The Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister stressed the urgent need to move to the second phase of the agreement, in addition to the need to expedite the formation of a Palestinian civilian administration in the Gaza Strip.
He stressed that his country does not want the international stabilization force in Gaza, which was stipulated in the Security Council resolution last November, to be for the protection of one side over the other, noting that its role should be limited to protecting the agreement to end the war and ensuring its implementation.
He explained that there are many elements in the agreement to end the war that have not yet been completed, stressing Qatar’s commitment to working with the United States to protect the agreement, noting that his talks in Washington also addressed the ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire.
In this context, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman said that the ceasefire violations in Gaza put the mediators in an embarrassing position, warning that the current situation in the sector is jeopardizing the agreement day after day.
He added that the humanitarian situation in Gaza was a key focus of his discussions with members of the US Congress, as he stressed the need to allow humanitarian aid into the sector unconditionally.
In a related context, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty called on Wednesday for the rapid deployment of the international stabilization force to monitor the ceasefire, protect civilians, and ensure the unhindered and adequate delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as support early recovery and reconstruction efforts, thus paving the way for the Palestinian Authority to resume its duties in the Gaza Strip.
This came during a telephone call made by Abdel-Aati with the Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Juraj Planar, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the two sides discussed regional developments, foremost among them the recent developments in Gaza.
Abdel-Aati stressed the importance of ensuring the sustainability of the ceasefire and implementing the requirements of the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan, emphasizing the need for full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803 concerning the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
The Egyptian position comes a day after an American meeting in Doha to discuss the formation of an international stabilization force, amid Israeli leaks indicating that Tel Aviv is seeking to include in the tasks of this force the disarmament of Palestinian factions.
On November 18, the UN Security Council adopted a US-drafted resolution on ending Israel’s war of extermination on Gaza, which allows for the establishment of a temporary international force until the end of 2027.
According to the resolution, Gaza will be administered by a transitional Palestinian technocratic government, operating under the supervision of an executive peace council, in accordance with a 21-point American plan.
On October 10, a ceasefire agreement came into effect, which was supposed to put an end to the genocide committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which resulted in the martyrdom of more than 70,000 Palestinians and the injury of more than 171,000, most of whom were children and women.
