Qatari emir condemns 'shameful' inaction over Gaza war
Qatar's ruler opened the Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Doha on Tuesday, condemning the “shameful” international community's inaction over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said: “It is a shame for the international community to allow this heinous crime to continue for nearly two months, during which innocent civilians, including women and children, “The systematic and deliberate killing of people continues.”
Israel declared war on Hamas after the militant group killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages in an unprecedented attack on October 7, according to Israeli statistics.
Israeli attacks have killed nearly 15,900 people in the Gaza Strip, about 70% of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
Qatar was the main mediator in the negotiations, which resulted in a seven-day ceasefire in which scores of Israeli hostages were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and humanitarian aid, ending on Friday.
Qatar's ruler said his country was “constantly working on renewing” the ceasefire agreement, but added that it “does not replace a permanent ceasefire.”
He called for an “international investigation into Israel's atrocities,” and said the Security Council would “hold Israel to legal responsibility, act to end this barbaric war and reach a just solution to the Palestinian issue.” “We will force them to return to credible negotiations.” ”.
– “blatant aggression” –
Some member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have sought closer ties with Israel in recent years.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain normalized diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020, and Saudi Arabia was expected to follow suit.
However, the war interrupted these diplomatic efforts.
In a joint statement, the GCC expressed “deep concern” at what it called “blatant Israeli aggression” in Gaza.
The Council praised the efforts of Qatar, Egypt and the United States in negotiating a humanitarian moratorium and called for a new ceasefire “immediately” to “achieve a complete and sustainable ceasefire.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also attended the meeting, accusing Israel of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity in Gaza” and saying “no answers should be left unanswered.”
Turkey and Qatar are both vocal supporters of the Palestinian cause and have opened channels of communication with Hamas.
Qatar, a U.S. ally with a large U.S. military base, is home to a Hamas office that doubles as the residence of self-exiled leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Wealthy Gulf states have defended the existence of Hamas, founded with Washington's blessing, as a means of resolving conflicts.
Source: guardian.ng