Qatari PM hopes Gaza ceasefire proposal will be accepted

(Patria) - Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Saturday that mediators hope all parties will positively engage with the principles of the Gaza ceasefire proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden on Friday, Reuters reported.

Al-Thani made the remarks during a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Qatar's state news agency reported.

The principles in the ceasefire proposal "include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas in Gaza, the release of detainees including women, the elderly, and the wounded in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid into the Strip," al-Thani added.

Qatar, along with Egypt, is mediating ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry also said in a phone call with Blinken on Saturday that his country would support all efforts to end the war in Gaza, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

Al-Thani, who also serves as Qatar's foreign minister, said in April that the Gulf state was reviewing its role as a mediator, citing concerns that its efforts were being undermined by politicians seeking to score political points.

Qatar has faced criticism from the US and Israel over its ties with Hamas since October 7. Around 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas attack on October 7, and 252 were taken hostage. More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip.