United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have publicly thanked Qatar for its significant role in mediating a potential ceasefire in Gaza. Their statements follow an initial positive response from Hamas to a new peace proposal.
Mr Guterres expressed his gratitude for Qatar’s “invaluable mediation work” aimed at ending the conflict. In a press statement, he said he was encouraged by Hamas’s announcement of its readiness to negotiate the release of hostages based on a recent proposal presented by US President Joe Biden.
The UN chief urged all parties involved to take advantage of the current diplomatic opening to end the war. He repeated his long-standing call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.
European and Arab Support
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also acknowledged the diplomatic efforts, specifically thanking Qatar and other Arab nations for their mediation. In a post on the social media platform X, she highlighted the broad backing for the US plan.
Meloni noted the proposal has been approved by Israel and is supported by European and many Islamic states, as well as the Palestinian National Authority. She pointed to the “initial positive response from Hamas, which has first of all declared its willingness to release all the hostages within the framework of a ceasefire.”
Both leaders stressed the urgency of the moment. “We must all commit ourselves to ensuring that this extraordinary opportunity is seized,” Meloni stated, a sentiment echoed by Guterres as he called on all parties to grasp the chance for a resolution.