Al-Thani told The New York Times that the decision was taken because the parties involved were not prepared to deal with such issues at this stage.
He noted that pushing for comprehensive negotiations from the beginning could have thwarted the progress achieved so far, and stressed the need for a step-by-step approach in addressing key issues.
Sheikh Mohammed said one of the key issues going forward will be deciding to whom Hamas will hand over its weapons, noting that there is a “marked difference” between handing over weapons to the reformed Palestinian Authority and handing them over to another organization.
“The[ceasefire]agreement postponed important issues such as the future of Hamas’ weapons and post-war governance of Gaza to the next stage,” he said. “Israel and Hamas were not ready for a comprehensive peace agreement. Therefore, our priority was to quickly complete the hostage exchange.”
Qatar’s top diplomat added: “There are serious disagreements within Hamas about its future. Some leaders oppose disarmament, while others advocate a more pragmatic approach.”
MNA/