Israel urges Qatar to clarify stance amid stalled ceasefire talks

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office called on Qatar, a crucial mediator between Israel and Hamas, to “stop playing both sides with its double talk and decide if it’s on the side of civilisation or if it’s on the side of Hamas” on Saturday.

Qatar condemned the words as “inflammatory”.

Despite Egyptian and Qatari mediators’ efforts to re-establish a truce, neither Israel nor Hamas has demonstrated a willingness to compromise on basic objectives, with each side blaming the other for the failure to achieve an agreement.

Israel, which demands the return of the 59 captives currently held in Gaza, has demanded that Hamas disarm and be barred from participating in the enclave’s future administration, a requirement Hamas refuses.

It has insisted on agreeing a lasting end to the fighting and withdrawal of Israeli forces as a condition for a deal that would see a release of the hostages.

“The State of Qatar firmly rejects the inflammatory statements issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, which fall far short of the most basic standards of political and moral responsibility,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari posted on X early on Sunday.

Al-Ansari criticized the portrayal of the Gaza conflict as a defense of civilization, likening it to historical regimes that used “false narratives to justify crimes against civilians.”

In his post, Al-Ansari questioned whether the release of 138 hostages was achieved through military operations or mediation efforts, which he said are being unjustly criticized and undermined.

He also cited the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza represented by what he called a suffocating blockade, systematic starvation, denial of medicine and shelter, and the use of humanitarian aid as a tool of political coercion.

On Friday, Israel’s security cabinet approved plans for an expanded operation in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Friday, adding to signs that attempts to stop the fighting and return hostages held by Hamas have made no progress.

Israel’s campaign was triggered by the devastating Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 251 taken hostage. It has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and devastated Gaza where aid groups have warned the Israeli blockade risks a humanitarian disaster.