DOHA: Qatar said on Tuesday that only Palestinians, not outsiders, should decide the future of Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war.
Foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari at a news conference in Doha said that the issue was “a Palestinian question”, after Israel insisted on removing Hamas and the United States proposed taking over the territory.
“From our perspective, this is a Palestinian question on what happens post this conflict,” Ansari said while replying to a question.
“It is a Palestinian question on who represents the Palestinians in an official capacity and also the political groups and parties in the political sphere,” he said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Tuesday that talks for the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, facilitated by Qatar, would begin this week.
The second phase aims to secure the release of all remaining hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack and ultimately bring about a permanent end to the fighting.
Dr. @majedalansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the weekly media briefing: From our perspective, what happens in the sector post this conflict, It is a Palestinian question on how, who represents the Palestinians and… pic.twitter.com/5Or4GFDEvV
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) February 18, 2025
Saar said Israel demanded the complete demilitarisation of Gaza and would not accept the continued presence of Hamas or any other groups in the territory.
US President Donald Trump has suggested a takeover of the Gaza Strip, proposing that its 2.4 million residents be relocated to Egypt or Jordan.
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The plan has sparked significant backlash, with Arab nations preparing a response. Trump’s proposal has further strained the fragile Gaza ceasefire, which has largely held since it was implemented on January 19, following more than 15 months of conflict.
The first phase of the ceasefire has so far seen the release of 19 Israeli hostages in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinians in Israeli custody. More hostage-prisoner exchanges are likely before the end of the first phase.
The Qatar foreign ministry spokesman, Ansari, said that “the aid that enters the Gaza Strip today is insufficient”. “Using humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip in negotiations is a crime in and of itself.”
