The State of Qatar and the French Republic have reaffirmed the depth and breadth of their strategic partnership, and their rejection of the killing and starvation suffered by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

In a joint communiqué issued on the occasion of the state visit of His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to the French Republic, the two countries stressed their opposition to the offensive on Rafah.

They called for the opening of all crossings, including in the North of the Gaza Strip to allow for humanitarian agencies to resume their activities,notably the delivery of food supply, and pledged jointly $200 million effort in support of the Palestinians.

HH the Amir and the French president praised the depth and breadth of the strategic partnership between their two countries, an alliance anchored in a relationship of trust and longstanding bilateral cooperation. They welcomed the forthcoming Third France-Qatar Strategic Dialogue to be held in Paris.

On Gaza, HH the Amir and the French president expressed their deepest concern over the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The French president expressed his deep appreciation for Qatar’s mediation efforts, to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023. These efforts led to a first humanitarian pause and the release of 105 hostages, the increase in emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza and simultaneously reduced regional tensions.

Both leaders expressed the necessity for the ongoing mediation efforts to succeed in delivering a truce and the release of hostages, including three French citizens. They praised the recent joint Qatar-France effort in brokering an agreement to bring vital medicines and other humanitarian aid into Gaza for the affected civilian population and for medicine to the remaining hostages.

The leaders stressed the urgent need for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, in order to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza on a massive scale and to ensure protection for civilians. They stressed their opposition to an offensive on Rafah. They called for the opening of all crossings, including in the North of the Gaza Strip to allow for humanitarian actors to resume their activities and notably the delivery of food supply and pledged jointly 200 Million dollars effort in support of the Palestinian population. HH the Amir expressed his deep appreciation for Qatar’s and France’s continuing and coordinated efforts with regional partners to increase the emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza and to reduce regional tensions.They reiterated the constant engagement at the highest levels of their respective governments over the last months in that regard, notably through joint humanitarian operations such as collective airdrops and freight delivery conducted on February 26th and 27th. Both leaders condemned all forms of targeting of civilians.

QNA