Doha, Qatar: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari (pictured) has said that the Sharm El Sheikh negotiations currently focus on identifying main obstacles hindering the implementation of President Trump’s plan.
“The current obstacles are practical ones. Therefore all of us must focus on establishing a process that ensures rapid implementation, with international participation and presence in the Gaza Strip. This presence should guarantee effective monitoring, high-level operational oversight, and a sequence of steps that prevents any vacuum that could reignite instability in the Strip,” he said in a weekly media briefing held yesterday.
He added that the current focus is on transforming President Trump’s plan into a practical framework with sequential steps that prevent any opportunity for Israel to resume aggression on Gaza. “Qatar is committed to advancing the ongoing negotiations in Sharm El Sheikh in order to reach a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to this tragic war.”
Regarding guarantees for implementing the plan, Dr. Al Ansari stressed that the key guarantee lies in having a plan that is swiftly implementable and agreed upon by all parties, with assurances provided by the United States and other involved stakeholders.
“All parties have approved this plan so there are no obstacles regarding agreement on the 20 points in President Trump’s proposal. The current challenges lie in the practical execution, which must be swift to ensure international presence on the ground in Gaza and avoid time gaps that could cause a relapse in the situation.”
He said that meetings in Egypt discussing the practical details of its application — whether regarding the international force in Gaza, the release of hostages and exchange of prisoners, or the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip.
He explained that all parties strongly support the plan with the aim of achieving consensus, but many details still need to be worked out, noting that President Trump’s plan consists of about 20 points that require practical interpretation and coordination with all stakeholders.
To a question about Qatar’s role in reconstruction phase, he said: “Qatar has been and will continue to be committed to doing everything possible for Gaza through all available means. What is happening now in Sharm El-Sheikh — and the accompanying confusion — is partly related to coordination mechanisms. Perhaps it is too early to define those mechanisms in detail, but without a doubt, all efforts will aim to ensure Gaza’s recovery and the success of the reconstruction phase.”
Dr. Al Ansari noted that the Trump plan, presented in New York, underwent amendments by Israel, followed by observations from Qatar as a mediator — some of which were incorporated, others not. “Qatar, currently engaged in more than ten mediation efforts, understands that any agreement cannot fully satisfy either side, and thus some elements will inevitably be contentious.”
Lauding US commitment to the plan, he said: “We are all now pushing toward ending this war by any possible means. It is catastrophic — the largest massacre of civilians in modern history since World War II. We seek not only to stop the bloodshed but also the famine that no humane person can tolerate.”
Dr. Al Ansari said that all parties, including the Qatari negotiating delegation, are currently present in Sharm El Sheikh to reach agreement on the outlined points of the plan. “The issue of an immediate Israeli ceasefire depends on the Israeli government, which was expected to halt its operations after declaring commitment to the Trump plan — a claim contradicted by continued military activity on the ground.”
Asked about the future of Hamas political bureau, he said it was premature to discuss the matter in detail, explaining that Hamas’s office in Doha has been part of Qatar’s mediation efforts since 2006. “As long as there is a need for a communication channel, there will be a need for the office’s presence in Doha,” he clarified.
