Israel, Hamas mediation still ongoing, Qatari minister says

Qatar's mediation in Gaza has not ended and negotiations with Hamas and Israel are ongoing, Qatari minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi said on Sunday.

In an interview with the Al-Madina website, the Minister of State at Qatar's Foreign Ministry said that obstacles to mediation include Israel's ongoing bombing of the Gaza Strip and the lack of trust between the parties.

"Despite this, we and our partners managed to achieve a temporary ceasefire for 7 days, leading to the release of a number of prisoners from both sides," he said. "The mission is not yet over, and we are currently working with both sides, hoping to reach another agreement that helps reduce the severity of this crisis."

The Qatari minister called on the international community to hold Israel accountable and deter it from committing more atrocities against civilians and to provide necessary protection for thousands of displaced people. Israel has killed at least 22,835 people in Gaza since 7 October, and injured at least 58,416.

Al-Khulaifi demanded an urgent and binding resolution from the UN Security Council to immediately implement a ceasefire and allow aid into the Gaza Strip.

"Such behaviour cannot be considered self defence... The health sector in Gaza has been significantly affected. We have emphasised that these crimes represent a new chapter in the series of Israeli crimes targeting hospitals and vital civilian facilities, and they constitute a blatant violation of international laws and conventions,” he said.