The official spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Majid Al-Ansari, said, “The circulating reports about the State of Qatar’s withdrawal from the mediation regarding the ceasefire in Gaza are not accurate.”

Al-Ansari added in statements to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), today, Saturday, that “Qatar notified the parties 10 days ago, during the recent attempts to reach an agreement, that it would suspend its efforts to mediate between Hamas and Israel in the event that an agreement was not reached in that round.” And it will resume these efforts with partners when there is the necessary seriousness to end the brutal war and the continuing suffering of civilians as a result of the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Strip,” stressing that “Qatar will then be at the forefront in making every commendable effort to end the war and return the hostages and prisoners.”

The spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that “The State of Qatar will not accept that mediation be a reason for blackmailing it, as since the collapse of the first truce and the deal to exchange women and children, we have witnessed manipulation, especially in retracting commitments that were agreed upon through mediation, and exploiting the continuation of negotiations.” In justifying the continuation of the war to serve narrow political purposes.”

Al-Ansari reiterated “the State of Qatar’s firm commitment to supporting the brotherly Palestinian people until they achieve all their rights, at the forefront of which is their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,” stressing “the centrality of the Palestinian issue to the State of Qatar.”

The spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that “reports related to the Hamas office in Doha are inaccurate,” stressing that “the primary goal of the office’s presence in Qatar is to be a channel of communication between the parties concerned, and this channel has achieved a ceasefire in stages.” Several previous events contributed to maintaining the truce, leading to the exchange of prisoners and hostages of women and children in November last year.”

The Qatari official stressed “the necessity of obtaining information from official sources.”

Earlier on Saturday, Reuters news agency quoted a “knowledgeable official” as saying that “Qatar will withdraw from mediation efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza until the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel show a sincere willingness to return to the negotiating table.”

The official added that “Qatar notified Hamas, Israel, and the American administration of its decision,” noting that Doha “said from the beginning that it could not mediate except when both parties showed a real interest in finding a solution.”

The official said that Qatar had also concluded that the Hamas political office in Doha “no longer served its purpose.”

Source: Al Jazeera Live + Qatar News Agency