Qatar’s Prime Minister expressed cautious and conditional support on Tuesday for a new U.S. proposal to end the war in Gaza, stating that while the plan achieves a key objective by seeking to end the conflict, several issues "require clarification and negotiation."

The comments from Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a key mediator in the protracted conflict, come as the humanitarian situation in Gaza reaches catastrophic new lows and the death toll from the Israeli offensive continues to climb.

“Trump’s proposed plan achieves a key objective by ending the war, but there are some issues that require clarification and negotiation,” Sheikh Mohammed told the Doha-based Al Jazeera television. “We hope everyone will look at the plan constructively and seize the opportunity to end the war.”

The Qatari premier confirmed that Doha has not yet received an official response from Hamas to the 20-point plan, which was unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump at a White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

“We still do not know Hamas' response to the plan, which requires consensus with the Palestinian factions," he said, underscoring the challenge of achieving a unified Palestinian position.

Sheikh Mohammed, who also serves as Qatar's foreign minister, revealed that mediators from Qatar and Egypt made it clear to Hamas leadership during a meeting on Monday that their "main goal is to stop the war."

He emphasized that Qatar's immediate priority is humanitarian, stating, “The main focus for Qatar now is how to end the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza... ending the war, famine, killings, and displacement.”

His remarks come amid what international aid organizations are describing as a man-made famine. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Israeli military campaign has now killed over 66,000 Palestinians, a figure that has risen sharply in recent weeks due to intensified operations in Rafah and a resurgence of fighting in northern Gaza. The majority of the dead are women and children, and over 85% of the population has been displaced, with large swathes of the enclave reduced to uninhabitable rubble.

The U.S. plan, as presented by President Trump, calls for the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners, the complete disarmament of Hamas, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces. It proposes the formation of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee to govern Gaza.

A pathway to Palestinian statehood is mentioned in the document as a possibility, but it falls short of a guarantee, a point of contention for many Palestinian leaders and Arab states.

Sheikh Mohammed described the unveiled plan as a set of principles. “What was presented yesterday were principles in the plan that require discussion of their details and how to work through them,” he said.

He also highlighted the broader diplomatic efforts of Arab and Islamic nations, stating they have made every effort “to ensure that Palestinians remain on their land and achieve a two-state solution.” He urged a pragmatic approach, noting, “The current phase is important and is part of negotiations that are not expected to produce perfect language. The current path must be built upon and made effective and successful."

The international community remains watchful, hoping that the new U.S. proposal can break a deadlock that has persisted for months, even as the Israeli violence on the ground shows little sign of abating. (ILKHA)