UAE President, Qatar Emir call for de-escalation in Gaza

UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid through secure and unimpeded channels.

President Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Tamim emphasised the need to prioritise the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law to ensure their safety.

The two leaders also underscored the critical necessity of working to halt the spread of violence and escalation to prevent further humanitarian crises in the Middle East and establish a clear political horizon towards securing lasting peace in the region.

“Our nations call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, unimpeded humanitarian access, and the protection of all civilians. The UAE and Qatar stand firm in urging the need to advance de-escalation efforts and secure a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the region,” President Sheikh Mohamed said on X, formerly Twitter.

President Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Tamim explored bilateral relations, various avenues of cooperation and joint work across all fields.

The two leaders also reviewed ways to enhance joint Gulf action in a manner that serves the interests of the people of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and their aspirations for continued development and progress.

The Emir of Qatar departed Thursday and President Sheikh Mohamed bid him farewell at the Presidential Airport.

Call for Gaza de-escalation

Meanwhile, the call for de-escalation in the Gaza Strip by the leaders of the UAE and Qatar comes nearly a week after Bahrain suspended economic ties with Israel and recalled its ambassador to Tel Aviv.

The Gulf state also confirmed that the Israeli ambassador in Manama had left the kingdom “a while ago.” Bahrain, a signatory of the Abraham Accords, signed a series of normalisation agreements between Israel and several Arab nations in 2020.

From South Africa to Norway, the Middle East to Southeast Asia, calls for an end to the siege of Gaza are growing. Earlier this week, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” while pushing for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow aid access to the enclave.

On October 15, the UAE launched a campaign to provide relief aid to Palestinians impacted by the war in the Gaza Strip, under the theme ‘Tarahum – for Gaza’.

The campaign established centres to collect and mobilise humanitarian relief packages in partnership with humanitarian and charitable institutions, volunteer centers, the private sector, media and all segments of society.

The relief campaign is being conducted in cooperation with the World Food Program, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Community Development.

Read: UAE President issues order to initiate Gallant Knight 3 humanitarian operation for Gaza