The nearly two-month-old ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will remain incomplete until Israeli forces fully withdraw from the territory, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Saturday while speaking at the Doha Forum. He stressed that “a ceasefire cannot be completed unless there is a full withdrawal of the Israeli forces and stability is restored in Gaza.” Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, played a central role in brokering the truce that began on October 10 and largely halted two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Under the yet-to-be-implemented second phase of the agreement, Israel is expected to pull back its troops, an interim governing authority is to be established, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) will be deployed.
However, several Arab and Muslim states remain hesitant to join the ISF due to concerns that their troops may be drawn into clashes with Palestinians. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, also speaking at the forum, said deliberations over the force were ongoing, with key questions unresolved regarding its command structure and participating countries. He added that the force’s initial objective should be to separate Palestinians and Israelis to prevent further conflict. The plan also requires Hamas to disarm, allowing members who surrender their weapons to leave Gaza — a measure the group has consistently rejected. Turkiye has expressed interest in joining the stabilisation mission, but Israel has criticised the idea, citing Ankara’s close ties with Hamas. Fidan emphasized that meaningful and committed peace talks are the only path toward ending the war.
Sheikh Mohammed noted that Qatar, alongside Turkiye, Egypt, and the United States — the guarantors of the truce — are working together to push the agreement into its next phase. He described the upcoming stage as temporary and stressed the need for a broader, lasting solution that ensures justice for both Palestinians and Israelis.
On the sidelines of the forum, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with the Qatari prime minister to discuss ongoing developments in Gaza. According to Egypt’s foreign ministry, both officials reaffirmed the importance of continuing efforts to implement the Sharm El-Sheikh peace agreement, where the October deal was originally signed. Egypt has also announced plans to train 5,000 police officers for Gaza and is among the potential contributors to the stabilisation force.
