TEHRAN – Qatar's Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, briefed Iran on the ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, as reports indicate that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin is remaining intransigent on conditions unacceptable by Palestinians. 

“In response to the phone call from the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Qatar regarding the latest developments in the discussions about halting the crimes of the Zionists in Gaza, a discussion and exchange of views took place. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani referred to today's meeting on the ceasefire negotiations hosted by Qatar and described the results of this phase of the negotiations as critical,” announced Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri Kani in a Friday post on X. 

“I emphasized the necessity of continuing comprehensive efforts and practical actions, including diplomatic activities, to stop the genocide perpetrated by the Zionists in Gaza,” he added. 

Ceasefire talks took place on Thursday and Friday in Doha, with Egypt, Qatar, and the United States taking part as mediators. Hamas refused to send a delegation after Israel killed its political Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, saying it would only receive the results of the negotiations. The Resistance group has called on the mediators to pressure the regime into committing to the draft agreed on during previous rounds of talks months ago. 

Various reports show Israel has prevented the negotiations from progressing, by demanding concessions that Hamas considers unequivocally unacceptable. These demands include establishing military control over certain regions and corridors within Gaza, as well as gaining the power to veto Palestinian releases and dictate where they reside after their release from Israeli prisons.

Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, which began after a successful Palestinian operation inside the occupied territories in October, has so far resulted in the massacre of over 40,000 people. The majority of the victims are women and children, with the devastating humanitarian toll expected to increase due to the complete decimation of medical facilities, and a lack of food, clean water, and medicine in the enclave. 

Various rights bodies have accused Israel of committing heinous crimes against humanity, but the regime and its Western patrons insist everything Israelis have done in the past 10 months has been part of “self-defense”. 

Humanitarian disaster in Gaza direct result of Western actions

On Thursday, Yoko Kamikawa, the Japanese foreign minister, and the Iranian acting foreign minister engaged in a telephone conversation regarding their bilateral relations and significant regional matters, particularly focusing on the crimes and genocide committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza.

Iran’s acting foreign minister highlighted the ongoing exchange of diplomatic missions between Tehran and Tokyo, noting the attendance of Japan's Prime Minister's special envoy at the inauguration of Iran's new president as indicative of the enduring and profound ties between the two nations.

Baqeri condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure, including the bombing of schools, mosques, hospitals, and other urban facilities, as well as the brutal killings of civilians in Gaza over the past ten months, labeling these actions as clear instances of war crimes, crimes against human right, and genocide perpetrated by the Zionist regime.

The Iranian acting foreign minister attributed the dire situation to the support provided by the United States and certain Western nations to the ruling authorities in Tel Aviv, alongside the inaction and indifference of other Western countries towards the blatant atrocities committed by this oppressive regime.

During the recent United Nations Security Council meeting, Baqeri criticized the protectionist stance of Western nations, which he argued hindered the council's ability to effectively address and deter threats to international security and stability posed by the Zionist regime. He remarked that past experiences indicate that remaining silent in the face of the Zionists' military and security aggression only emboldens their actions further. 

In this discussion, Japan's Minister of Foreign Affairs also voiced concerns regarding the escalating tensions in the West Asian region, advocating for measures to de-escalate the situation in the interest of all involved parties. 

Both Ali Baqeri and Yoko Kamikawa underscored the necessity of ongoing political and diplomatic dialogues between their nations to enhance bilateral cooperation and foster regional peace, stability, and security.