Qatari Ambassador to the Palestinian territories Mohammed al-Emadi had a series of press interviews in July in which he expressed new positions that surprised many Palestinians and perhaps embarrassed Hamas. Emadi took some unprecedented stances in the history of Qatari diplomacy toward the Palestinian cause.

On July 17, Emadi, serving as head of Qatar’s Gaza Reconstruction Committee, told Al Jazeera, “Hamas and Israel reached a tacit understanding to keep their military confrontation at low intensity and avoid a full-scale war,” noting that “there is an understanding between Hamas and Israel not to commit to killing from each side.”

Emadi further stressed that “it is very difficult to fund the reconstruction of Gaza in an event of yet another destructive war,” adding that he had “discussed a maximum of five- to 10-year cease-fire with Hamas,” pointing out that the latter no longer trusts the Egyptians.

Speaking to Israeli channel Kan on July 8, Emadi mentioned a proposal he had made to Israel to allow 5,000 workers from Gaza to work in Israel, but the latter never responded.