Qatar has been a steadfast supporter of the Palestinian cause, and providing political and developmental support to the Palestinians. The country has time and again reiterated that peace in the region can be assured only by ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands in a set timeframe. Qatar has been providing developmental and humanitarian assistance to improve the Palestinians’ living conditions in the West Bank and Gaza. The country has provided $1.2bn worth of support in the last eight years for education, electricity, infrastructure, housing, and job creation. Besides, the country has always supported the request of the State of Palestine to obtain full membership as a sovereign state in the United Nations, urging all member states to support this legitimate and deserved request. Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has been highlighting the plight of Palestinians from different forums, stressing Qatar’s support and solidarity with them in their just struggle to restore their land and rights. A joint statement issued following a ministerial meeting, consisting of top diplomats from Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, hosted by Egypt on February 1, commended the mediation efforts by Qatar and Egypt that led to a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of hostages and detainees. Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani during the meeting reiterated Qatar’s categorical rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, pointing out that such calls would renew confrontations in the Occupied Palestinian territories and worsen the suffering of the Palestinians. The meeting held in Cairo, affirmed support for sustained implementation of the ceasefire agreement and underscored the necessity of ensuring unhindered humanitarian aid access to all parts of Gaza. The statement called for the removal of all obstacles to the entry of humanitarian and shelter assistance as well as resources needed for the recovery and reconstruction of the war-ravaged coastal enclave. The statement emphasised the importance of a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, firmly rejecting any attempts to divide the Gaza Strip. It reiterated the need to enable the Palestinian Authority to assume full administrative and security functions across Gaza. It reaffirmed the indispensable role of the UNRWA, rejecting any attempts to undermine its mandate and called for urgent international efforts to launch a comprehensive reconstruction process for Gaza to ensure that displaced Palestinians can remain on their land and have their basic needs met.
