Qatar warns against adopting policy of collective punishment

Qatar's Permanent Representative to the UN HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani participated in the open humanitarian briefing organised by the Arab Group in the presence of UN humanitarian organisations and the International Red Cross to present their testimonies regarding the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.
In a speech at the UN headquarters in New York, HE Sheikha Alya called on the Security Council to assume its responsibilities towards the aggression against the Gaza Strip by imposing an immediate ceasefire and facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid without any obstacles.
She affirmed Qatar's absolute rejection for attempts to forcibly displace the brotherly Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip, and demanded the lifting of the siege on the Gaza Strip, the provision of full protection for civilians and the enforcement of international law and international humanitarian law.
Qatar has expressed, from the beginning, its deep concern about the developments in the Gaza Strip and called on all parties to stop the fighting, reduce the escalation, and exercise the utmost restraint to spare civilians the consequences of the fighting and prevent the region from sliding into a wider cycle of violence, she stated, adding Qatar strongly condemns all actions targeting civilians and stresses the need to protect them in accordance with international humanitarian law.
HE Sheikha Alya highlighted Qatar's priorities: immediate cessation of hostilities, putting an end to bloodshed, reducing escalation, sparing civilians the consequences of fighting, and immediate release of all prisoners, especially civilians, in addition to preventing the expansion of the cycle of violence into a regional confrontation and working on humanitarian corridors to provide relief.
She warned of the danger of adopting a policy of collective punishment including calls to depopulate the northern Gaza Strip, saying that the policy of forcing civilians to flee or take refuge in neighbouring countries is a violation of international laws and would exacerbate the effects of the confrontations as well as double the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people.
She renewed Qatar's call on the international community to take urgent action to open humanitarian corridors that allow international organisations to bring medical and food aid into Gaza and evacuate injured civilians.