DOHA — Editorials in Qatari newspapers have highlighted Qatar’s continued diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to address the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip. The editorials also made note of the visit to Doha by Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, who praised Qatar’s efforts in the region.
According to a new release by Qatar News Agency, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, stated in her address to the UN General Assembly’s tenth emergency session that the situation in the Gaza Strip has become catastrophic due to Israeli attacks against civilians. She emphasized that this decline threatens not only regional but also global security, with potentially serious consequences for peace.
The Qatari newspaper Al-Sharq ran a headline “International Gratitude for Qatari Mediation Efforts,” praising the UN Secretary-General’s visit to Doha and his gratitude for Qatar’s mediation initiatives, particularly those aimed at securing the release of hostages in Gaza. Al-Sharq asserted that this international praise counters skepticism surrounding Qatar’s role and aid. The newspaper also emphasized Qatar’s call for urgent international action in response to the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution for a humanitarian truce in Gaza. Al-Sharq stressed the need for international and regional coordination to halt aggression against Gaza and advocated for a comprehensive peace settlement based on the Arab Initiative and a two-state solution.
In a similar vein, the Qatari daily Al-Watan reiterated the country’s commitment to ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring about a sustainable political solution that would prevent further chaos and violence in the region. The paper echoed Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani’s concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, highlighting the continuous aggressive actions by Israeli forces, including air, land, and sea bombardment, and the forced displacement of Palestinians, which it noted is in clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Al-Watan concluded its editorial by calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. It stressed the need for concerted Arab action to create a mechanism for humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip and preserve the Palestinians’ right to life.