Emir of Qatar Condemns Genocide in Gaza, Calls for Ceasefire at GCC Summit

Image Credit: Al-Jazeera

Leaders of six Gulf states and Turkey are meeting in Qatar, with Israel's war on Gaza high on the agenda.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has accused the international community of "turning its back" on the Palestinian people amid Israeli bombardment of Gaza and is calling for a permanent ceasefire in the enclave.

In his opening remarks at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Doha on Tuesday, the emir accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza, and said the "crimes" by Israeli forces were "injustice and injustice". helps to deepen the sense of presence. international legitimacy”.

He said it was an insult to the international community to allow this heinous crime to continue for more than two months – where the systematic and purposeful killing of innocent civilians, including women and children, continued.

Why is the international community turning its back on Palestinian children and adopting double standards?

Truce

A week-long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which ended on Friday, was brokered by Qatar and other mediators in order to free Palestinian prisoners held by Hamas in October. In return, often without blame.

Sheikh Tamim said that while his country was still working to renew the ceasefire, it was not a "substitute for a permanent ceasefire".

He said that we will continue to work together with other regional and global players for a permanent ceasefire and all aggression against the Palestinian people will be stopped.

Heads of six Gulf countries including Bahrain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait and Turkey are participating in the summit in Doha.

The war on Gaza is expected to be at the center of the talks.

Al Jazeera's diplomatic editor James Baez, reporting from Doha, said the talks would likely highlight the possibility of Qatar-brokered talks leading to the resumption of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Bess added that the prospects for reconstruction and the future governance of Gaza after the war will also be another topic of discussion.

"National Struggle"

Addressing the summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "Israel's war crimes and its crimes against humanity in Gaza must not be answered".

He added that Turkey's priority "is to ensure that a permanent ceasefire is implemented in Gaza and that humanitarian aid is delivered without interruption".

The Emir of Qatar added that the struggle in Palestine was not religious nor was it a war against terrorism.

He said that this is a national struggle between the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian people under the occupation.

"The solution lies in ending the occupation and solving the problems of the Palestinian people," he added, urging the UN Security Council, especially the permanent members, to end the war and end the conflict. Stand by your "legal obligations" to help and assist in doing so. Force Israel to return to the negotiating table to reach a "just solution."

At least 15,899 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7. The official death toll in Israel is around 1,100.

(Source: Al-Jazeera)