Qatari Prime Minister Comments on Gaza Ceasefire Violation

On Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated that Hamas broke the terms of the ceasefire agreement after attacking Israeli soldiers on Tuesday, resulting in one soldier’s death.

“Honestly, yesterday’s incident was quite unfortunate and frustrating for us to witness. We were trying to manage the situation, but right after, we coordinated fully with the United States, confirming their commitment to the agreement as well,” Al-Thani remarked during a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City.

While he didn’t specifically name Hamas as the entity at fault, he described the attack as a “violation by the Palestinian party.” He pointed out that Hamas had suggested that rogue elements or a different militia could be responsible for the attack. Still, he noted that their statements about the event have been “contradictory,” making verification difficult.

“Fortunately, I think both involved nations understand that the ceasefire needs to be upheld and the agreement maintained,” he added.

Al-Thani refrained from accusing Israel of breaching the ceasefire through its airstrikes, which were in response to the ambush.

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that Tuesday’s attack took place in Rafah city, located in Israeli-controlled southern Gaza. According to reports, the assault began with a sniper attack by “local terrorists,” resulting in the death of an IDF Combat Technical Team member who was working to dismantle a tunnel used by terrorists. The deceased soldier was identified as 37-year-old Sgt. Effie Feldbaum, a reservist and father of five.

This sniper fire was subsequently followed by anti-tank missiles targeting other Israeli armored vehicles in the vicinity.

In retaliation, the IDF launched strikes against numerous targets in the Gaza Strip, aiming at “dozens of terrorist targets and operatives,” including as many as 30 armed extremist commanders. According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, these strikes reportedly resulted in 104 fatalities, including 46 children and 20 women.

On Wednesday morning, the IDF announced that it had “begun a new enforcement of the ceasefire.”

“The Israel Defense Forces will continue to respect the ceasefire agreement and will respond firmly to any violations,” their statement declared.

President Donald Trump mentioned that Israelis should “fight back” when attacked, indicating a stance of support for their defensive actions.

He also commented on Hamas, stating, “I said they could be good people, but if they’re good, you’ll be happy. If they’re not, they’ll be out.”