Qatari minister says to continue efforts to end "collective punishment" of Gazans

DOHA, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Qatari official said on Tuesday that the country will continue its efforts to end the "collective punishment" imposed on Gaza, Qatar News Agency reported.

Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater, the minister of State for International Cooperation at the Qatari Foreign Ministry, made the remarks in Egypt while leading a delegation to deliver more aid packages to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the report said.

She stressed that the ongoing coordination is one of the outcomes of the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit hosted by Saudi Arabia on Nov. 11, it added.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Tuesday that the country had sent two aircraft to El-Arish International Airport in Egypt's North Sinai, carrying 54 tons of humanitarian aid ready to be delivered to Gaza. The humanitarian aid includes a field hospital, shelter kits, as well as food and medical supplies.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Oct. 7, Qatar has been making effort to mediate between the warring parties, secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and de-escalate the situation in Gaza.

Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which prompted Israel to carry out fierce attacks on Gaza over the past weeks in retaliation, plunging the strip into a severe humanitarian crisis.

The ongoing conflict has killed over 11,500 Palestinians in Gaza and about 1,200 people in Israel, according to official figures from both sides.