Qatar's Foreign Minister Criticizes Israeli Bombings Amid Peace Talks in Doha

The Qatari official considered this a negative message that hinders the progress of the negotiation and mediation process being carried out by Qatar between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

This statement came during an interview with CNN coinciding with the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to Doha. Al Thani said, “Israel responded to peace efforts by launching more deadly airstrikes on Gaza.”

He added, in an interview conducted in the Qatari capital, that Qatar viewed the release of Israeli-American detainee Eidan Alexander as “an achievement that would help steer the negotiations back on track, but unfortunately, Israel’s response was more bombings the very next day, while sending a delegation for talks.”

Qatari Foreign Minister Doubts Progress in Gaza Mediation Amid Israeli Escalation

The Qatari foreign minister expressed lowered expectations for any significant progress in the ongoing mediation efforts by Doha regarding Gaza, noting that Israel’s escalation “sends a bad signal” by continuing the bombings while also sending a negotiation delegation.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani spoke about the mediation efforts, saying that Qatari teams “are in contact with both sides and hope to see some progress,” but he added, “I’m not sure that progress will come soon, given this ongoing behavior.”

The Qatari prime minister further discussed the talks, stating: “If there is no genuine willingness to negotiate, how can we reach a solution?” He emphasized that “in the end, the decision rests with both parties.”

In the televised interview on CNN, the Qatari PM also discussed U.S. sanctions on Syria, calling their removal “a correct step forward.” He told CNN’s Becky Anderson, after a formal dinner for President Trump, “We believe lifting the sanctions is the right move to proceed, and what we have decided to do is start engaging with them to see if they are saying and doing the right things, then we need to support them.”

He added, “We must support Syria’s stability, and we must ensure that Syria does not fail or fall into chaos.”

Trump to Lift Sanctions on Syria After Assad’s Regime Collapse

President Trump later announced his intention to lift sanctions on Syria after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime last year, saying that this move “will give them a chance to progress.”

The lifting of the sanctions is considered a significant achievement for the Syrian government under Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who took power after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

Trump stated during a Saudi investment forum in Riyadh that the decision was made after discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.