Rutte quickly visiting Netanyahu after Qatar emir meeting; Dutch ship readied for Gaza aid

Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte will travel to Israel after his visit to Qatar on Wednesday to talk with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rutte announced it in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday afternoon. This will be his second visit to Israel since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023.

In Qatar, the Prime Minister discussed the war between Israel and Hamas and the situation in Gaza with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. Rutte said the Emir can play an "important role" in managing diplomatic matters, such as additional aid to Gaza. “The conversation raised a number of issues that I also think would be wise to share with Netanyahu,” Rutte told NOS. “I want to do that personally with him.”

On X, Rutte said he spoke with Qatar’s leader about the humanitarian situation, preventing the situation from escalating to a point where others in the region are involved, and about the Israelis currently being held hostage “by the terrorist organization Hamas, now for weeks.”

Rutte also told NOS that Qatar has its own ideas about how the fighting between Israel and Hamas could at least pause at different moments to provide relief. “There are all kinds of proposals to see whether combinations can be made which will make progress in the field of humanitarian access and the release of hostages and foreigners, but I cannot say more about that. Because if it wants to lead to something substantial, it cannot in public.”

Last month, Rutte already had a “good, but tough conversation” with Netanyahu in Jerusalem. “Realize the power you have,” he urged the Israeli prime minister at the time. Rutte also spoke with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, when he stressed the importance of preventing further escalation.

Dutch patrol ship available to provide aid to Gaza

On Wednesday, it was also reported that the Netherlands plans to send humanitarian aid to Gaza with a navy ship as soon as it is feasible. Outgoing Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren is therefore dispatching the Dutch military ship Zr.Ms. Holland towards Cyprus. The patrol ship can also be used for evacuations.

Cyprus is working on a maritime corridor to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Ollongren was in Cyprus on Wednesday to discuss this. She called the initiative "very important". France has also already positioned a navy ship in the region to aid Gaza.

It is "incredibly urgent" for aid to reach Gaza, the minister told ANP. She mentioned that Germany and Britain have also shown interest in the proposal. She said she hopes to learn more about the Israeli response to the plan while in Cyprus.

A pause in the fighting for humanitarian relief is necessary to realize the plan, something which the international community also wants, according to Ollongren. She believes Israel must heed that call, otherwise a “catastrophe” is looming over the Palestinian coastal strip.

Israel has been pummeling Gaza since Hamas carried out a bloody attack a month ago that killed more than 1,400 Israelis. Since then, Israel has been relentlessly bombing the Gaza Strip. The Hamas-controlled authorities claim the number of dead there has topped 10,000.

The Netherlands already has soldiers and equipment in Cyprus. There are two C-130 transport aircraft stationed there. These were sent to evacuate people from Israel and Lebanon in the event of an emergency. There are more than 150 Dutch soldiers, including naval personnel.

This week, Jordan delivered humanitarian aid to Gaza by air. Medical supplies were dropped at a hospital. This is also possible with the C-130s in Cyprus, said Ollongren. If the Netherlands receives a “specific request, we will do so.”

Zr. Ms. Holland will depart in the middle of this month, and it will take about 10 days before the ship reaches its destination. It will remain in the eastern part of the Mediterranean at least until the turn of the year. “We are now planning until the end of the year,” said Ollongren, who is also visiting the Dutch soldiers.

An international conference on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than 2 million people live, will be held in Paris on Thursday at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron. Discussions will include providing aid. Dutch Foreign Trade and Development Minister Liesje Schreinemacher will participate in the conference.