Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani on Wednesday voiced his pessimism regarding near-term progress in ceasefire negotiations for Gaza.
In an interview with CNN, Al-Thani sharply criticized Israel's actions and claimed that its continued military actions in the Strip, while simultaneously sending a delegation to Doha, sent a "bad signal" regarding its commitment to the talks.
The Qatari Prime Minister acknowledged the recent release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander as a "breakthrough that will help bring back the talks on track." However, he juxtaposed this with Israel's subsequent actions, stating, "Unfortunately Israel’s reaction to this was (bombing) the next day, while sending the delegation."
He further accused Israel of "basically sending the signal that (they) are not interested in negotiations."
The Qatari Prime Minister affirmed that "Our teams are engaging with both parties," expressing a hope for progress while casting doubt on its immediacy given the current circumstances.
"We hope to see some progress; I’m not sure if this progress will be something seen very soon with this continuing behavior," he told CNN.
He concluded by emphasizing the ultimate responsibility of the involved parties, saying, "At the end of the day the decision is in the hands of the parties."
Al-Thani did not mention that in March, Hamas rejected US envoy Steve Witkoff's proposal for a temporary ceasefire by refusing to release any of the Israeli hostages it has been holding in Gaza.
Hamas’s rejection came after the Israeli government agreed to adopt Witkoff’s proposal for a temporary ceasefire during the months of Ramadan and Passover.
After Hamas rejected the proposal and the previous hostage release deal concluded, Israel resumed its counterterrorism operations in Gaza, striking Hamas terrorist targets.
Meanwhile, Channel 12 News reported on Wednesday that Witkoff has formulated a new framework for the release of the hostages and the end of the war, which leaves Hamas out of power.
Israeli officials quoted in the report stated that "Witkoff is personally invested in the efforts to secure the release of the hostages" and stressed that "President Trump made it clear that no moves will be forced on Israel against its will."
