Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said on Tuesday that the Israeli military operation in Rafah “took us back” in the negotiations aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip under a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.

Al Thani, who also holds the position of Foreign Minister, said during his participation in the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, “In the past few weeks, we have seen some increasing momentum, but unfortunately things have not moved in the right direction and we are now almost at a standstill. Of course, what " happened in Rafah took us back."

The Qatari Prime Minister pointed out “the dangers of extending the conflict in the region” against the backdrop of the Israeli war on Gaza, stressing the necessity of “a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to the atrocities committed against the Palestinians.” He said that “there is a lack of clarity on the Israeli side regarding the way Stop the war."

He stressed that Doha “will continue to work and press to reach a ceasefire agreement.” Regarding the Israeli behavior in the negotiations, he said: “We do not want to be used as a mediator, and we have made it clear to everyone that our role is limited to mediation. As long as the need for communication continues, there is no room for speculation about the future of Hamas in Qatar.”

He added, "Everyone is focusing on the current mediation, stopping the war, and recovering the hostages." He considered that "talking about rebuilding the Gaza Strip is premature," while he estimated the cost of reconstruction in Gaza at "40 to 50 billion dollars."

For months, Qatar, which has hosted the Hamas political office in Doha since 2012, led mediation alongside Egypt and the United States between Israel and the Palestinian movement.

Despite Hamas announcing its approval of the latest formula proposed by the mediators for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israel continued its military operation in Rafah despite American warnings against launching a large-scale attack on the city located in the southern Gaza Strip and crowded with displaced persons.

The Qatari Prime Minister said: “There is no clarity about how to stop the war from the Israeli side. I do not think they are considering that as an option (...) even when we talk about an agreement and reaching a possible ceasefire.”

He added that Israeli politicians were indicating "through their statements that they will remain there, that they will continue the war. There is no clarity about what Gaza will look like after that."