Sahin Demir
18 August 2026•Update: 18 August 2026
Qatar said Tuesday that it is pushing for the full implementation of the agreed ceasefire plan in the Gaza Strip despite Israeli “intransigence.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a news conference that Doha remains committed to moving forward with efforts to implement the Gaza ceasefire plan.
“What we are demanding is that both parties to the Gaza agreement fully implement the agreed plan,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15-point Gaza ceasefire plan and insisted that Hamas disarm first, although the roadmap issued by US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace on July 31 calls for Hamas’ disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal to proceed gradually and in parallel.
Turning to the broader regional crisis, Ansari said Qatar’s current efforts are focused on defusing tensions and returning the US and Iran to their memorandum of understanding and the negotiating table.
“At this stage, our efforts are focused on stopping the escalation and bringing both sides of the crisis back to the dialogue table,” he said.
He added that Qatar wants an agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a ceasefire to be reached simultaneously.
On the Iranian pilots who entered Qatari airspace, Ansari said Qatar found the remains of one of the two pilots on March 19 and later handed them over to the Iranian side.
He said Tehran had not responded to Qatar’s invitation to send a technical team to observe the search operations.
