Mediators Qatar, Egypt call for next steps in Gaza truce

DOHA, Dec 6: Qatar and Egypt, guarantors of the Gaza ceasefire, on Saturday called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of an international stabilisation force as the necessary next steps in fully implementing the fragile agreement.

The measures were spelled out in the US- and UN-backed peace plan that has largely halted the fighting in the Palestinian territory, though the warring parties have yet to agree on how to move forward from the deal's first phase.

Its initial steps saw Israeli troops pull back behind a so-called "yellow line" within Gaza's borders, while Palestinian militant group Hamas released the living hostages it still held and handed over the remains of all but one of the deceased.

"Now we are at the critical moment... A ceasefire cannot be completed unless there is a full withdrawal of the Israeli forces, (and) there is stability back in Gaza," Qatari premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Doha Forum, an annual diplomatic conference.

Qatar, alongside Egypt and the United States, helped secure the long-elusive truce in Gaza, which came into effect on October 10 and has mostly halted two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Under a second phase of the deal, which has yet to begin, Israel is to withdraw from its positions in the territory, an interim authority is to take over governance, and an international stabilisation force is to be deployed.

"We need to deploy this force as soon as possible on the ground because one party, which is Israel, is every day violating the ceasefire," said Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, also speaking at the Doha Forum.

Arab and Muslim nations, however, have been hesitant to participate in the new force, which could end up fighting Palestinian militants.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told the forum that talks on the force were ongoing and critical questions remained as to its command structure and which countries would contribute.

But its first goal, Fidan said, "should be to separate Palestinians from the Israelis".

"This should be our main objective. Then we can address the other remaining issues," he added.

Meanwhile, Negotiations on consolidating the US-backed truce in the war in Gaza are at a "critical" moment, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Saturday.

Mediators are working to force the next phase of the ceasefire forward, al-Thani, whose country has been a key mediator in the war, said during a panel discussion at the Doha Forum conference in Qatar.

Violence has subsided but not stopped since the Gaza truce took effect on October 10.

"We are at a critical moment. It's not yet there. So what we have just done is a pause," al-Thani said.

"We cannot consider it yet a ceasefire. A ceasefire cannot be completed unless there is a full withdrawal of the Israeli forces - (until) there is stability back in Gaza, people can go in and out - which is not the case today."    �"AFP, REUTERS