DOHA: Qatar, a key mediator in negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, on Monday, expressed concern that Israel’s airstrikes on a displaced Palestinians’ camp near Gaza’s southern city of Rafah could impede progress towards a truce deal and hinder efforts to secure the release of hostages.
The Qatari foreign ministry voiced concerns that the Israeli bombing might complicate ongoing mediation efforts and pose obstacles to reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, has been actively engaged in months of talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at brokering a truce deal in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.
However, talks hit a deadlock earlier this month when Israel deployed ground forces into Rafah, escalating tensions and stalling behind-the-scenes negotiations. Qatar condemned the Israeli airstrikes as a “dangerous violation of international law.”
The foreign ministry urged the international community to take urgent action to prevent Israel from forcibly displacing Palestinians from Rafah, which has become a vital refuge for hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people amidst the ongoing Israeli bombardment.
Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the “continued massacres” perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces and called for immediate intervention to halt the violence. In a statement, the Saudi foreign ministry called on the international community “to intervene immediately to halt the massacres” committed by the Israeli military.
Similarly, the United Arab Emirates condemned the targeting of displaced Palestinian people’s tents in Rafah and demanded an immediate cessation of operations in the area.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s foreign ministry decried the Israeli attack as a stark demonstration of “war crimes and unprecedented genocide,” urging the international community to intervene swiftly and decisively.
The health ministry in Gaza said Monday that the death toll from an Israeli air strike on a camp housing displaced Palestinians in Rafah had risen to 45.
“The Rafah massacre yesterday left 45 martyrs, including 23 women, children and elderly. There are 249 others who were wounded,” the ministry said in a statement. Several others were trapped in flaming debris.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 36,050, mostly women and children as Israel continued relentless bombardment. The latest casualties include 66 deaths in the past 24 hours alone.
The airstrikes in Rafah drew condemnation from international organizations, with the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) describing reports of attacks on families seeking shelter as “horrifying.” Images from the scene depicted scenes of heavy destruction.
The escalation of violence has exacerbated an already dire situation in Gaza, where over 80 percent of the population has been displaced, and severe hunger is widespread. UN officials have warned of looming famine, with access to aid severely restricted in some areas due to ongoing hostilities.
Southern Gaza, particularly Rafah, has borne the brunt of the recent escalation, with over 1 million Palestinians fleeing the city since Israel’s incursion began. Despite international efforts to provide aid, access remains limited, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
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