Amidst the crisis in Gaza, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, met with UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, on Sunday.
The two convened on the sidelines of the UN Relief Chief’s official visit to Qatar, where they extensively deliberated on the catastrophic situation in Gaza and the UN’s pivotal role in alleviating the crisis.
Detailing the outcome of the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar stated, “The two sides discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, and ways to bolster regional and international efforts for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.”
During the high-level discussions, there was a joint affirmation by the Qatari Prime Minister and the UN Relief Chief regarding the facilitation of obstacle-free humanitarian aid access to the Strip.
Furthermore, the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated Qatar’s emphasis on the importance of the UN’s role in supporting efforts to address the worsening humanitarian catastrophe and ending the suffering of the Palestinian population trapped in the Gaza Strip.
It is pertinent to note that this meeting of senior officials took place amidst Israeli actions to restrict UNRWA’s efforts in delivering life-saving assistance to northern Gaza. The UN body lamented, “the Israeli Authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any UNRWA food convoy to the north. This is outrageous and intentional, obstructing life-saving assistance during a man-made famine.”
The move drew widespread criticism from top officials, including Relief Chief Martin Griffiths, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his concern, stating, “I have urged Israel to lift all impediments on aid to Gaza. Now this – MORE impediments. UNRWA is the beating heart of the humanitarian response in Gaza. The decision to block its food convoys to the north only pushes thousands closer to famine. It must be revoked.”
