The Education Above All Foundation's Al Fakhoora House Was Destroyed In The Gaza Bombing

Al Fakhoora House destroyed in Gaza bombing

On Tuesday morning, the Al Fakhoora House in the southern part of Al Rimal, Gaza, an initiative by the Qatar-based Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, was destroyed by Israeli bombs. This institution, known as a safe haven for students and families in an area housing various civil society and international organizations, fell victim to the bombings under Israel's 'Operation Iron Swords.

The Al Fakhoora House, supported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, was previously targeted in 2009 during Operation Cast Lead, when civilians sought refuge there. In response to this attack on education, the Al Fakhoora program was established in 2010 to pay tribute to the victims.

In a weekly media briefing, Al Ansari stated that Qatar had initiated communication with regional and international stakeholders, aiming to coordinate efforts and gain a better understanding of the situation on the ground.

Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, engaged in discussions with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, USA, Spain, France, and the UK. Their talks focused on finding solutions to the crisis, coordinating efforts, exchanging perspectives, and reinforcing common ground to halt the ongoing bloodshed.

Al Ansari emphasized, 'The situation on the ground is highly complex, and the current escalation level is unprecedented in recent history.

Regarding the possibility of Qatari mediation to ease the conflict and facilitate the release of prisoners, he stated, 'It's premature to discuss any mediation efforts by Qatar or other regional players. While Qatar has successfully de-escalated conflicts between parties before, it's currently challenging to initiate mediation.'

'We need to observe the developments on the ground. The ongoing situation is deeply concerning, and we hope the international community collaborates to de-escalate tensions,' he emphasized. He clarified that Qatar's initiatives focus on coordinating regional and international endeavors to halt the fighting, bring an end to violence, and secure the release of prisoners.