weekly report -11/11
Qatar suspends role as mediator between Israel and Hamas
On Saturday, November 9, Qatar announced that it would suspend its role as mediator between Israel and Hamas, citing a lack of "seriousness" from both parties in pursuing negotiations, according to Le Monde. Doha's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari added that "Qatar would resume those efforts ... when the parties show their willingness.” Since November 2023, Egypt, Qatar and the United States have mediated attempts at a ceasefire. The latest set-back came in October 2024 with Hamas rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal. According to the BBC, the group has “always called for a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.” Despite Qatar’s decision to suspend mediation efforts, Le Monde stated that both Qatar and the US have indicated that Hamas will remain in Qatar, where they have been hosted since 2012. According to AFP cited by Le Monde, this was echoed by a senior Hamas official who said that "We have not received any request to leave Qatar." However, this has been contested by other media outlets, such as the Times of Israel, that cited an unnamed diplomat familiar with the matter according to whom Qatar had told Hamas officials in late October to leave the country. Al Jazeera cited spokesman al-Ansari stating that reports about closing the Hamas political office in Doha were “inaccurate” and that “the main goal of the office in Qatar is to be a channel of communication between the concerned parties”. Qatar’s decision to suspend mediation efforts comes amid intensifying humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with UN experts recently describing the situation in the northern part of the territory as “apocalyptic,” as per the BBC.
Sources: Le Monde, BBC, Times of Israel, Al Jazeera
Israel under scrutiny for Gaza aid
Tuesday, November 12, marked the deadline of a US-issued 30-day ultimatum to Israel to significantly increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. Failure to do so could compromise US military aid to Israel under foreign military assistance laws, as per CNN. The letter, co-written by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, demanded Israel to for example allow “at least 350 trucks a day to enter Gaza through all four major crossings… in addition to opening a fifth crossing”, as well as “humanitarian pauses” in order to “enable humanitarian activities,” CNN reported. According to Haaretz, on November 10, the Israeli Security Cabinet ordered the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza to be increased, and on November 12, the Kissufim crossing was opened. The BBC cited Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, who said that Israel was going “above and beyond its humanitarian obligations,” and blamed Hamas. However, according to UN data cited by the BBC, October and November 2024 saw the lowest levels of aid entering Gaza in a year. Furthermore, the UN aid coordination office OCHA, cited by UN News, stated that in the two days following the US-issued deadline alone “six attempts to deliver lifesaving assistance to besieged areas in North Gaza governorate were blocked.” On November 12, the US concluded that Israel had not broken its law against blocking aid in Gaza and hence would not face the risk of having some military assistance suspended. US officials acknowledged the need for more progress. Meanwhile, international rights organizations have accused Israel of failing to meet the deadline. The groups, including Oxfam, Save the Children and Refugees International stated that “Israel not only failed to meet the US criteria that would indicate support to the humanitarian response, but concurrently took actions that dramatically worsened the situation on the ground,” as cited by Al Jazeera.
Sources: CNN, Haaretz, UN News, BBC, Al Jazeera
Arab-Islamic summit gathers in Riyadh to discuss Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon
On Monday, November 11, leaders of more than 50 Arab and Muslim countries gathered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a summit, hosted by the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The leaders focused on Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon, issuing a closing statement that included a unanimous call for Israel to withdraw from all occupied Palestinian territories in order to advance regional peace, and condemnation of “horrific and shocking crimes” of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, as per Al Arabiya. When Addressing the summit, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, demanded Israel to immediately end its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, while also condemning the “massacre committed against Palestinian and Lebanese people.” The Times of Israel considered the Crown Prince’s discourse an illustration of the kingdom’s “harden(ed)... rhetoric against Israel.” The words of MBS were echoed by Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, who stated that “words cannot express the plight of the Palestinian people,” as cited by Al Jazeera. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for Arab states to show “the highest levels of solidarity with the Palestinian people,” as stated by Anadolu Ajansi. The summit took place in the wake of the US presidential election, prompting leaders to “signal to the incoming Trump administration what they want in terms of US engagement,” as stated by Anna Jacobs, senior Gulf analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank, cited by Al Arabiya. Remarks highlighted expectations for Trump to end Israel’s wars and cease arms exports and trade with Israel. Overall, Al Arabiya described the summit as a “landmark” event and a “definitive moment of solidarity.”
Sources: Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, Times of Israel, Anadolu Ajansi
