Doha: Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has urged Israel and Hamas to promptly initiate the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. He emphasized the necessity for all parties to adhere to the ceasefire terms during a joint news conference in Doha with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of not compromising the engagement in these negotiations, which are set to begin on Monday. However, he noted the absence of clear details regarding the arrival of delegations and expressed hope for developments in the coming days.

According to Anadolu Agency, Israeli media reports indicate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has chosen to delay sending his negotiating team to Qatar, pending his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday. Addressing Trump's proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed Qatar's opposition to forced displacement. He stated Qatar's ongoing engagement with the Trump administration, expressing hope for consensus on ensuring Palestinians remain in their homeland.

In a recent Arab ministerial meeting in Cairo, Sheikh Mohammed reiterated Qatar's strong opposition to any forced removal of Palestinians from Gaza. Trump's suggestion on January 25 to relocate Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan was firmly rejected by Cairo and Amman. The initial six-week phase of the Gaza and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel began on January 19, with ongoing negotiations for subsequent phases. This agreement is mediated by Egypt and Qatar, with US support.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with Israel's war resulting in the deaths of over 47,400 Palestinians, primarily women and children, and injuries to more than 111,500 since October 7, 2023. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.