Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani reaffirmed his country’s commitment to maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, while expressing serious concern over the recent flare-ups and the complexity of the situation on the ground.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Al Thani opened his remarks by referencing Israel's strike on Hamas leaders in Doha that occurred during ongoing mediation efforts. "The concept itself-to feel betrayed, that you are attacking a mediation while it's ongoing-this has never been thought of," he said. He noted that the strike took place while Colombia and Rwanda-DRC negotiations were being held nearby, and it resulted in the death of a Qatari citizen. Al Thani said the attack had deeply shocked the region and prompted GCC leaders to reevaluate their security posture.
He added that President Donald Trump had assured Qatar such an incident would not be repeated and pledged that necessary assurances would be put in place. Al Thani emphasized that Qatar had never anticipated being targeted by a US ally and that the event represented a serious breach of trust.
Regarding the ceasefire, Al Thani described the most recent violations as originating from a Palestinian group, but noted that there were conflicting statements from Hamas regarding their involvement. "Some statements mentioned that this group was out of communication, and others claimed they were unrelated to Hamas. It doesn’t matter who did what. What matters is ensuring this event doesn’t collapse the agreement," he stated.
The Qatari leader emphasized that the priority shared by all mediating parties, including the US, Egypt, and Turkey, was to protect the fragile ceasefire and prevent further escalation. He said Qatar had worked tirelessly to keep the mediation process intact and that the efforts were focused on returning both sides to compliance.
Al Thani also discussed the challenges of mediating between Israel and Hamas, noting that the two parties have never engaged in direct talks. "We are the messengers between both, trying to present genuine solutions that satisfy both sides," he explained. Despite strained relations with Israel, he claimed Qatar had always treated Israel fairly during negotiations, seeking practical, adaptable proposals rather than idealistic but unachievable ones.
"Even though our position with Israel is not the best-because for us, they are still occupying Arab land and denying Palestinians their rights-we never dealt with them unfairly. We've always listened to their concerns and proposed solutions that could realistically be implemented," Al Thani added.
The Prime Minister also stated that Qatar has been pressing Hamas to accept the necessity of disarmament. "We are trying to pressure Hamas to acknowledge that disarmament is necessary," he said, adding that it appears the group is willing to give up governing Gaza. His remarks suggest that Hamas may be prepared for a significant shift in its role within the territory.