The Amiri Diwan said that the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, received a phone call from US President Joe Biden. Biden thanked the Emir of Qatar for the joint mediation efforts that resulted in a humanitarian truce agreement in the Gaza Strip.
The US President appreciated the active and positive role of the Emir of Qatar in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. The Emir of Qatar also affirmed the continuation of efforts to reduce the escalation, stop bloodshed, and protect civilians in the Gaza Strip.
For its part, the White House said that Biden and Sheikh Tamim reaffirmed the importance of protecting civilian lives, respecting international humanitarian law, and increasing and sustaining humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.
The White House added that the US President and the Emir of Qatar agreed to continue close consultation on creating conditions to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East, including the establishment of a Palestinian state.
They also stressed “to remain in close contact to ensure the full implementation of the agreement and to secure the eventual release of all hostages.”
The White House confirmed that the US President “expressed his appreciation for Qatar and for the personal role of the Emir and his team in reaching an agreement to release the hostages held by Hamas and establish a humanitarian truce in Gaza.”
Decisive efforts
For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, in a phone call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, expressed his country’s thanks to the State of Qatar for what he described as the decisive efforts it made to help mediate a deal. It included the release of at least 50 detainees in Gaza, including Americans.
The US State Department said in a statement that Blinken discussed with the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister the ongoing efforts to release what it described as the remaining hostages, and to urgently increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as well as the importance of ensuring safe passage for foreigners out of Gaza.
During the call, Blinken stressed that the United States remains committed to promoting the two-state solution, and he also reaffirmed the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and Qatar.
The State of Qatar announced – at dawn on Wednesday – the success of the joint mediation efforts with Egypt and the United States between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), as it resulted in reaching an agreement on a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip that will last for 4 days and can be extended.
The agreement includes the exchange of 50 civilian women and children prisoners in the Gaza Strip in the first phase, in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons. The truce will also allow the entry of a larger number of humanitarian convoys and relief aid, including fuel designated for humanitarian needs.
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2023-11-23 03:09:42
