Donald Trump envoy to Qatar to discuss Gaza truce, Doha says
US President-elect Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy spoke in Doha with Qatar’s prime minister about mediation efforts for a truce in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from the Qatari diplomacy.
Discussions on Friday between Steve Witkoff and Prime Minister Mohammed Ben Abderrahmane Al Thani, “focused on the latest developments in the region, particularly efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip”it is explained in the press release, without further 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 announced Thursday that “real progress” in negotiations on the release of hostages held in Gaza. 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.
