Qatari, German leaders discuss regional, international developments

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Friday discussed the international and regional developments with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

According to a statement by the Qatari Emiri Diwan, Sheikh Tamim received a phone call from Scholz during which they discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries.

They also touched on the regional and international developments of mutual interest, according to the statement.

On Wednesday, the German chancellor also had a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss the Gaza cease-fire efforts.

For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a hostage swap deal and a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The onslaught has resulted in over 40,600 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,800 injuries, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar