Qatar urges swift launch of Gaza ceasefire’s second phase

Qatar has said it is intensifying efforts to launch the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, warning that the humanitarian crisis in the enclave remains “man-made” and cannot be allowed to deepen further.

“The humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is ongoing, and it is man-made,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al Ansari told a press conference in Doha on Tuesday, stressing that aid must not be used as leverage against civilians.

Ansari said Qatar, alongside mediators Türkiye and Egypt, is working to accelerate talks on the deal’s second phase, which is expected to expand humanitarian access and stabilise the fragile truce that began on October 10.

Israel has refused to reopen the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza — a critical lifeline for aid — despite provisions in the first phase of the agreement. Qatari officials said increased international pressure is needed to ensure unimpeded relief deliveries.

More than 71,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since Israel’s offensive began in October 2023, with over 171,000 injured, Gaza’s health authorities say.

Since the ceasefire took effect, Israeli attacks have continued, killing at least 442 people and wounding more than 1,200.

Efforts to revive US-Iran talks

Alongside its Gaza diplomacy, Qatar said it is also engaged in intensive efforts to revive talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

“With regard to Iran, there are intensive contacts in which we are involved, and we are pushing in every possible way for a return to the negotiating table,” Ansari said.

Doha has previously played a key mediating role in both regional conflicts and nuclear diplomacy, positioning itself as a central broker at a time of heightened Middle East tensions.