Qatar Calls On Security Council To Play An Active Role In Ensuring Implementation Of Gaza Ceasefire Agreement

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

New York: Qatar has called on the Security Council to fulfill its responsibility in playing an important and active role to ensure that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza Strip and the exchange of detainees and prisoners between both sides achieves its intended positive results, through adopting a binding resolution that supports the agreement and confirms its full implementation.

This came in Qatar's statement delivered by H E Sheikha Alya Ahmed Saif Al Thani, Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, before the Security Council, regarding the situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian issue, at the UN headquarters in New York.

H E noted that this meeting comes days after the announcement in Doha of reaching an agreement to end the conflict in Gaza Strip, which lasted more than fifteen months, caused immense human suffering, comprehensive destruction, displaced most of the population, and left 160,000 people dead, injured, or missing.

H E explained that Qatar has made sincere mediation efforts since the beginning, culminating in both parties reaching an agreement on January 15, which began implementation last Sunday.

H E said: "Under this agreement, consisting of three phases each lasting forty-two days, prisoners and hostages will be exchanged, returning to sustainable calm leading to a permanent ceasefire, delivering intensive humanitarian aid and its safe and effective distribution widely throughout Gaza Strip, rehabilitating hospitals, health centers and bakeries, and bringing in civil defense supplies, fuel, and displaced persons' shelter requirements. The details of the second and third phases will be finalized during the implementation of the first phase."

H E conveyed Qatar's gratitude to its mediation partners, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America, noting that the three countries, as guarantors of the agreement, issued a statement confirming they will work jointly to ensure parties fulfill their commitments and the full continuation of the three phases.

Qatar's Permanent Representative to the UN emphasized that Qatar has spared no effort in its endeavors over the past fifteen months, and continued: "After the success of these efforts in November 2023 in stopping the fighting and releasing 109 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, meetings continued with partners and conflict parties, overcoming numerous obstacles, seeking an agreement to stop the war machine and restore hope for a secure future in the region."

With the agreement entering into force, H E confirmed that Qatar looks forward to regional and international efforts joining together in providing humanitarian assistance and supporting the UN in bringing it into and delivering it in Gaza, affirming that Qatar will spare no effort in providing support to affected families and alleviating the suffering of residents, noting in this regard that under the directives of the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the launch of a land bridge to supply Gaza Strip with fuel was announced.

At this stage, as before, H E emphasized that UNRWA maintains a pivotal role, and warned that banning the agency's activities by occupation authorities would lead to serious humanitarian and political consequences.

Regarding the sisterly state of Syria, Qatar's Permanent Representative to the UN stated that Qatar reaffirms its unwavering position of standing with the brotherly Syrian people and their choices, and confirms at this historic juncture the strength of fraternal relations with the Syrian Arab Republic after a thirteen-year interruption due to the previous regime's brutal suppression of the brotherly Syrian people's revolution.

H E explained that Qatar renews its emphasis on the importance of conducting an inclusive Syrian political process, and welcomes the measures taken by the new Syrian administration to protect civilians, stabilize state institutions, provide public services, and facilitate the return of displaced persons and refugees.

H E indicated that Qatar is committed to continuing support for Syrian brothers in various fields, noting that the current humanitarian situation requires international community support and the necessity of lifting sanctions due to their negative effects on the Syrian people, considering that the reasons for their imposition have ceased.

H E emphasized that Qatar stresses Syria's unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, achieving its people's aspirations for dignified living and building a state of institutions and law, and condemns Israeli forces' incursion across the buffer zone which must be immediately reversed.

Regarding brotherly Lebanon, H E renewed Qatar's welcome of the election of H E Joseph Aoun as President of the brotherly Lebanese Republic, and the appointment of Dr. Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister of the state, looking forward to this contributing to establishing security and stability in Lebanon, and achieving its people's aspirations for progress, development, and prosperity.

H E said: "Qatar affirms that it will continue its permanent stand alongside brotherly Lebanon, and renews its position supporting its unity, sovereignty, security, and stability, and welcomes the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, expressing its aspiration for all parties' commitment to it, the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, and that the agreement paves the way for a more comprehensive accord achieving lasting peace and stability. We also stress respect for UNIFIL's mandate and the safety of its personnel."

Qatar's Permanent Representative to the UN highlighted that the only path toward stability and prosperity in the region remains a comprehensive and just political solution to the Palestinian issue, based on international law and international legitimacy resolutions, ending the occupation, stopping settlement activities, and confirming the two-state vision, which was emphasized by Resolution 2334, and stressed by the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion in July 2024 which must be respected.

H E emphasized that it is necessary to reject any measures undermining the sustainable solution to the Palestinian issue, including attempts to annex Palestinian territories and violate religious sanctities, where Qatar hopes the ceasefire agreement will be the beginning of a new phase for serious work on resolving the Palestinian issue, emphasizing in this regard the importance of supporting Palestinian reconciliation in the next phase, indicating that Gaza Strip's administration after the war is purely a Palestinian matter.

In conclusion, H E reaffirmed Qatar's unwavering position on the justice of the Palestinian cause, the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and the establishment of their independent, fully sovereign state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and its recognition as a full member in this international organization.

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