UPDATE - Gaza stabilization force should not protect one side over another, Qatar says

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By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Wednesday that a proposed stabilization force to be deployed in the Gaza Strip under a ceasefire deal should not protect one side over another.

Speaking to the Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel after meetings in Washington with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of the American Congress, Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar raised concerns over repeated ceasefire violations in Gaza, warning that such breaches place mediators in an “embarrassing position.”

“We do not want a stabilization force in Gaza that serves to protect one party at the expense of another,” he said.

The prime minister said he agreed with Rubio to “double efforts” to reach the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, noting that preparations are underway for a meeting between mediators on Friday to develop a clear framework for transitioning to the next stage.

Sheikh Mohammed underscored that the humanitarian situation in Gaza featured prominently in discussions with Congressional members, reiterating Qatar’s call for the “unconditional” entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

“The current situation in Gaza puts the agreement at risk every day,” he said, warning that continued violations could derail the ceasefire entirely.

On Syria, the Qatari premier said Doha supports lifting US sanctions on Damascus to enable economic recovery, describing the moment as an opportunity “to activate joint efforts to support the Syrian government following the removal of sanctions.”

He reaffirmed Qatar’s support for “Syria’s territorial unity and fair treatment of all Syrians.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty earlier echoed a similar view on the proposed stabilization force in Gaza during a call Wednesday with Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar.

A Foreign Ministry statement said Abdelatty stressed the importance of swiftly deploying a stabilization force in the Palestinian enclave “to monitor the ceasefire, protect civilians, and create a safe environment inside the enclave.”

Israel has killed nearly 70,700 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,100 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023, before the assault came to a halt under the ceasefire deal that took effect on Oct. 10.

Phase one of the deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.