Doha (HRNW)– The 23rd session of the Doha Forum, Qatar’s largest annual international dialogue platform, has officially begun, attended by several world leaders including the presidents of Syria and Ghana, the prime ministers of Qatar and Lebanon, and Turkey’s foreign minister.
Addressing the forum, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that the ceasefire in Gaza, which began on October 10, is merely a temporary pause — not a complete ceasefire. He stressed that lasting peace cannot be achieved without addressing the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He stated that ending bloodshed through a temporary ceasefire is insufficient; instead, the fundamental issues — including Palestinian statehood and the situation in the West Bank — must be resolved. He emphasized that sustainable peace is only possible when Israel fully withdraws its forces from Gaza, stability returns, and people regain freedom of movement.
The Qatari PM also expressed concern over Israel’s delay in opening the Rafah crossing, despite the ceasefire agreement and US peace plan requirements.
He added that Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, and the United States are collectively working on the next phase of the ceasefire, which includes forming a technocratic Palestinian government and establishing a peace framework. However, he clarified that this second phase will also remain temporary unless the core Palestinian rights are addressed.
The Qatari PM praised President Trump, saying that direct US talks with Hamas played a major role in achieving the ceasefire and the release of hostages.
Responding to criticism regarding hosting Hamas, he clarified that Qatar only provides a platform for dialogue and does not take sides. He added that many of Qatar’s harshest critics are the same countries that seek Qatar’s mediation during crises — indirectly referring to Israel.
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