Qatari emir, Iranian president urge cease-fire in Gaza, discuss regional developments

ISTANBUL

Qatar and Iran on Monday stressed the need for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and all other Palestinian territories in a phone call between the two countries' leaders.

According to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani phoned Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, with whom he discussed "bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to support and strengthen them."

They also stressed the need for a cease-fire in Gaza and all Palestinian territories as "a permanent and final solution to the Palestinian cause that achieves a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region."

Israel has killed more than 33,700 Palestinians since an Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 250 hostages taken.

Global calls for a cease-fire have been growing as the war has entered its seventh month.

The two leaders also "stressed the need to reduce all forms of escalation and avoid expanding the conflict in the region," in the light of recent escalation between Israel and Iran.

Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday in response to an April 1 attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria, in which at least 13 people were killed, including seven military advisers.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar