Qatar’s foreign minister has discussed the latest developments in Syria and the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories with his counterparts from Turkey, Jordan and Iran, Qatar announced on Saturday, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
According to the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as the country’s prime minister, spoke by telephone with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
The talks focused on bilateral relations and ways to improve cooperation as well as the latest information on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the Palestinian territories and the situation in Syria, where there has been a dramatic advance by forces opposed to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the past week.
The Qatari foreign minister expressed his country’s deep concern about the situation in Syria and underlined the importance of protecting the civilian population from the consequences of the ongoing conflict.
During his talks with the Turkish and Iranian representatives, Sheikh Mohammed reiterated Qatar’s firm stance in favor of dialogue and understanding between all parties to resolve the crisis in Syria in accordance with international resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
Resolution 2254, adopted in December 2015, calls for peace talks and a political solution to the conflict while respecting Syria’s sovereignty and independence.
The conflict in Syria has intensified in the last week. Anti-government forces have gained significant ground, capturing Aleppo on November 30, followed by complete control of Idlib province and parts of Hama and Homs, areas of strategic importance along the route to Damascus, the capital.
Meanwhile, Gaza continues to be subjected to Israel’s military campaign, which has killed more than 44,600 people, mostly women and children, since October 2023.
Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel must also answer to the International Criminal Court for genocide due to its war against Gaza.