Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani expressed concerns Wednesday over the state of international mediation efforts led by Qatar to help reach a hostage and a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Al Thani, who is also Qatar's foreign minister, criticized the misuse of Qatar's efforts for “narrow political” gains by some involved, undermining the broader goal of peace and humanitarian relief, “which required the State of Qatar to conduct a comprehensive evaluation.”
He emphasized the sensitivity of the ongoing talks and highlighted the challenges faced in bridging gaps between conflicting parties. He also pointed out the inconsistency between private assurances and public statements by involved parties, describing such actions as counterproductive.
While he did not mention anyone by name, the comments followed a statement by US Rep. Steny Hoyer on Monday that said if Qatar fails to apply pressure on Hamas to reach an agreement on a deal to release hostages and establish a temporary ceasefire, “the United States must reevaluate its relationship with Qatar.”
On Tuesday Qatar’s Embassy to the US in Washington issued a statement saying it was surprised by Hoyer’s remarks, adding that while the country shares the congressman's frustrations, it does not control Israel or Hamas.
“Blaming and threatening the mediator is not constructive, especially when the target is a friend,” the embassy statement added.