Qatar’s chief negotiator voices frustration over Gaza ceasefire talks

Mohammed Al-Khulaifi says delays in Gaza truce negotiations with Israel and Hamas put lives at risk as Qatari mediation faces political pressure.

Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al-Khulaifi (left) shakes hands with French diplomat Franck Gellet in Paris on February 13, 2025. Photo by Bertrand Guay/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Qatar’s chief negotiator has voiced deep frustration over the stalled negotiations aimed at reaching a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, warning that the delay in progress threatens to cost more lives as the military conflict drags on. Speaking in an interview with AFP, Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s Minister of State, highlighted the urgency of the matter, especially after a month of resumed Israeli strikes on the densely populated Palestinian territory.

“We're definitely frustrated by the slowness, sometimes, of the process in the negotiation. This is an urgent matter. There are lives at stake here if this military operation continues day by day,” Al-Khulaifi said.

Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, played a key role in brokering a temporary truce in Gaza that took effect on January 19, 2025. The agreement largely paused the brutal fighting that began following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on Israeli territory. However, the initial truce expired in early March as the two sides failed to reach a consensus on how to proceed with the next phase.

Hamas and Israel remain divided over terms

According to Al-Khulaifi, the deadlock stems from deep disagreements between Hamas and Israel. Hamas has insisted that any continuation of negotiations must address a permanent end to hostilities, in line with the framework laid out in January. Conversely, Israel had been seeking only a temporary extension and resumed its air and ground operations in Gaza on March 18 after stopping the flow of aid.

Late on Thursday, Hamas rejected Israel's latest proposal for a 45-day ceasefire, which had required the release of 10 living hostages held by Hamas. The militant group said the offer was insufficient and fell short of the terms previously discussed.

“We've been working continuously in the last days to try to bring the parties together and revive the agreement that has been endorsed by the two sides,” Al-Khulaifi emphasized. “And we will remain committed to this, in spite of the difficulties.”

Qatar under fire amid growing regional scrutiny

While Qatar remains central to the Gaza ceasefire talks, it has also found itself under increasing pressure, particularly from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government have openly criticized Qatar's involvement, alleging that Doha is attempting to sway Israeli policy through questionable means.

Two aides close to Netanyahu are reportedly under investigation in Israel over suspected financial ties to the Qatari government, accusations which Qatar has flatly denied, dismissing the entire episode as a “smear campaign.”

In a related development, Israel’s domestic intelligence service recently claimed that Qatari funding had helped boost Hamas’s military capabilities prior to the October 2023 attack. Doha strongly rebuffed the accusation, branding it “false” and politically motivated.

“We've been receiving those types of criticism and negative comments since the early times of our involvement,” Al-Khulaifi said. “Critiques without any context, such as the ones that we keep hearing from Netanyahu himself, are often just noise.”

Al-Khulaifi also condemned Netanyahu’s recent comments to the evangelical U.S. broadcaster Daystar, in which the Israeli leader accused Qatar of promoting “anti-Americanism and anti-Zionism” on American college campuses. The Qatari negotiator labeled such allegations baseless and pointed out that Qatar’s educational partnerships are fully transparent and have been repeatedly scrutinized and verified.

Qatar expands diplomatic role to central Africa

In addition to its mediation in Gaza, Qatar has taken on an increasingly active diplomatic role in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where conflict between the Congolese military and the M23 rebel group—widely believed to be backed by Rwanda—has escalated in recent months.

Early March saw a surprising diplomatic breakthrough in Doha, where Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Following the talks, both leaders expressed willingness to back a ceasefire, providing a rare moment of optimism in a volatile conflict.

“This meeting happened to really find a pathway towards de-escalation and more of an agreement on an implementation mechanism,” Al-Khulaifi said.

According to the Qatari negotiator, the talks resulted in agreements that led to a pullback by M23 forces from strategic locations near Walikale, a vital mining hub in eastern DRC. The withdrawal toward Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, marked what Al-Khulaifi described as “a positive development” that opens the door to further stabilization efforts.

US partnership and ongoing regional projects

Qatar’s mediation efforts in the DRC have been coordinated closely with the United States, which Al-Khulaifi praised as a “reliable partner.” He added that he plans to meet with the U.S. envoy for Africa, Massad Boulos, in Washington in the coming days to discuss ongoing cooperation.

Beyond Gaza and the DRC, Al-Khulaifi also raised concerns over Syria, where humanitarian needs remain acute even as President Bashar al-Assad regains control over much of the country. The Qatari official said discussions are underway with regional stakeholders to increase public sector salaries in Syria and to boost the supply of gas to the war-torn nation.

“We're discussing it very closely with our U.S. colleagues to see how we can move forward with this project,” he said.

Qatar’s willingness to take on complex diplomatic roles in multiple hotspots reflects its growing ambitions on the world stage. While the Gaza ceasefire talks remain the most urgent and high-profile challenge for Doha, the country’s broader diplomatic portfolio is steadily expanding.

As Al-Khulaifi continues his shuttle diplomacy between Washington, Gaza, and Central Africa, Qatar’s role as a key global mediator appears set to deepen. But with Israeli airstrikes continuing in Gaza and trust between negotiating parties at a low point, the prospects of an immediate breakthrough remain uncertain.

Nevertheless, Qatar insists it will remain engaged in the pursuit of peace. “We are committed to this mission,” said Al-Khulaifi, “because the alternative—continued war and suffering—is unacceptable.”