Qatari Prime Minister says the country is ‘re-evaluating’ role as mediator

Qatar has been working for months as a mediator in negotiations aimed at bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli captives.

But Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, said Doha is re-evaluating that role, adding that some parties have used the mediation for “narrow political interest”.

He made the comments during a joint news conference with Turkey’s foreign minister in Doha.

He added that while Qatar remains committed to mediation on a “humanitarian basis”, there has been “abuse and harm” done related to Qatar’s role.

Some parties have made “destructive” statements against Qatar, he said, without saying to whom he was referring.

On Tuesday, Qatar’s embassy in Washington, DC, denounced comments from US lawmaker Steny Hoyer, who said the US would re-evaluate its ties with Qatar if it does not pressure Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal advanced by the Israelis and accused Qatar of siding with Hamas.

Speaking in Qatar, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused the Israeli leader of seeking war for political gain in the wake of an attack by Iran.

“It is clear that Netanyahu is trying to drag the region into war to stay in power,” Fidan said. He called on allies of Israel to constrain further action.

Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar was at the press conference in the Qatari capital Doha.

Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/
Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/
Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile

#Qatar #QatarDiplomacy #Turkey #GazaWar #Israel #Palestine #IsraelHamasWar #IsraelGazaWar #Hamas #AbductedIsraelis #IsraeliCaptives #QatariMediation #GazaCeasefire #Gaza #GazaAirRaids #GazaAirStrikes #GazaUnderAttack #GazaHumanitarianCrisis #IsraelWar #IsraelPalestineWar #GazaBombardment #GazaRefugeeCamps