Qatar Raises From Gaza Peace Mediation Efforts

JAKARTA - Qatar said it is currently more focused on protecting the country's sovereignty and preventing new attacks on its territory, not mediating a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

This was conveyed by a spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Al-Ansari, on Tuesday, September 16.

"The ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip have shifted backward amid Israel's cunning attacks on the country that became the mediator in the negotiations," he said.

Although the United States has appreciated Qatar's efforts and has asked to continue mediation, Qatar considers it inappropriate if Israel continues its policies, Al-Ansari said.

"What kind of mediation can we talk about if Israel attacks mediator countries and tries to kill negotiators? What are such negotiations for?" he said of Qatar's decision to suspend his participation in mediation.

Earlier, Israel acknowledged a military operation to get rid of the leadership of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, in Qatar, on September 9 and claimed full responsibility for the action.

Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the action was entirely an independent Israeli operation.

"Israel is starting, Israel is implementing, and Israel is in full responsibility," the office wrote on platform X.