The special envoy for the Middle East of US President-elect Donald Trump spoke in Doha with the Prime Minister of Qatar about mediation efforts for a truce in the Gaza Strip, according to a press release from Qatari diplomacy .
The discussions between Steve Witkoff and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdelrahmane Al-Thani “focused on the latest developments in the region, in particular the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip”, indicated the communicated, without providing other details.
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed last weekend in Qatar with a view to a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory, focused immediately on the release of hostages kidnapped during the attack without precedent of the Palestinian Islamist movement on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.
As Donald Trump’s inauguration approaches, outgoing President Joe Biden reported Thursday “real progress” in negotiations on the release of hostages held in Gaza. Before him, his Secretary of State Antony Blinken had affirmed on Wednesday during a visit to Paris that an agreement was “very close” for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages.
For his part, Donald Trump recently promised “hell” to the region if the hostages were not released before his return to power on January 20.
