Qatari PM: Ceasefire Shouldn’t Depend on Hostage Deal

During his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani highlighted the critical necessity to halt the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and to prevent any further escalation.

Prime Minister Al-Thani, who also serves as the foreign minister, stressed the importance of concluding the war and cautioned against making a ceasefire contingent upon a deal regarding hostages. He advocated for focusing on the humanitarian crisis, expressing empathy for all affected individuals and condemning acts of violence from any side.

Despite recent discussions in Cairo involving representatives from Qatar, Egypt, Israel, and the United States, no agreement has been reached to end the conflict.

In a related development, U.S. President Joe Biden mentioned on Friday that he has engaged in in-depth dialogues with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden has expressed his viewpoint that a temporary ceasefire is essential to facilitate the release of individuals still being held hostage in Gaza.