DUBAI, December 11. /TASS/. Qatar’s authorities have called on external forces not to escalate the situation in the Gaza Strip in order not to complicate Doha’s mediating efforts and the conflict’s resolution in general, Mohammed al-Khulaifi, Minister of State at the emirate’s Foreign Ministry said.
"This is very important, we gave this signal very clearly: any force exacerbating the situation there will complicate even more the mediating role and the resolution of this issue," he said, speaking at the Doha Forum. "And I would like to say that other regional or international forces should not aggravate the situation or increase tensions but facilitate in de-escalating it," he added.
According to the official, from the very onset of the escalation in the Gaza Strip, the Qatari Foreign Ministry created a special working group on the situation in the enclave. "One of the main tasks of this group is to ensure that we are working with the international community in order for this conflict not to spill over," the diplomat continued. He noted that Doha is staying in touch with all interested parties, including Washington and Tehran.
On November 22, the radical Palestinian movement Hamas reported reaching an agreement with Israel, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, on a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip that came into effect on November 24. The agreements envisaged the release of women, children and teenagers held in the enclave in exchange for the release of women, children and teenagers from Israeli prisons. On December 1, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire and announced renewed fighting in the Gaza Strip.