Qatari PM meets Hamas on ceasefire

Last Updated on December 31, 2024 5:54 am

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met with a Hamas delegation to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the meeting, which took place in Doha on Saturday, was led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya.

The Times of Israel reported on Saturday (December 28).

Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Qatar’s foreign minister, is significantly involved in the mediation process, which has been stalled for months.

The Qatari statement said the meeting reviewed the latest developments in the Gaza ceasefire talks. They discussed ways to advance the process to ensure a clear and comprehensive agreement that could end the ongoing war.

The Qatari prime minister also said the incoming Trump administration has been very encouraging of reaching a deal, even before the president takes office.

The United States, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have been negotiating a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza for months without success.

Qatar announced in November that it would temporarily step down as a mediator. In December, the country announced that it would resume talks on a ceasefire. It was then that Qatar’s meeting with Hamas became known.

Meanwhile, a record number of people demonstrated against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, demanding that he sign a deal to rescue hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

In recent times, both Hamas and Israel have reported progress in talks to end the war in Gaza and release the hostages, but have so far failed to reach an agreement.