The mediator Qatar said it informed Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy to US President-elect Donald Trump, on Friday on the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza that it has been facilitating with Egypt and the US.
According to the Qatari foreign ministry, Witkoff and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani talked about “the latest developments in the region, especially the efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip” during their meeting in Doha.
The mediators began a fresh effort earlier this month to obtain the release of dozens of Israeli captives who are still being held captive in the Palestinian territories and to put an end to the war in Gaza.
There is increasing international pressure on Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement in their indirect negotiations, according to diplomatic sources.
There has been “real progress” in the negotiations, according to remarks made by US President Joe Biden Thursday.
Before his inauguration on January 20, Trump has threatened to “hell to pay” if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages.
However, some observers think that rather than in the last days of Joe Biden’s administration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would rather a deal be finalized under Trump’s president.
“I cannot foresee significant progress until President Trump assumes office,” Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at Israeli think tank the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy, told AFP earlier this week.
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