Qatar resumes Gaza mediation, PM reveals Trump pushing ceasefire

Qatar has resumed its mediation role in the war on Gaza, following a brief suspension, a source with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed on Thursday.

The Gulf state had been engaged alongside the United States and Egypt in protracted, yet fruitless, efforts to secure a Gaza truce and captive release during the 14-month-long war.

In November, Qatar announced a pause in its mediation, citing a lack of "willingness and seriousness" from Hamas and Israel. The source, speaking anonymously to AFP due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, confirmed Qatar’s renewed involvement but did not provide details of recent meetings or progress.

Meanwhile, speaking to Sky News, Qatar’s Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al Thani, revealed that US President-elect Donald Trump is pushing for a resolution to the conflict before his inauguration on 20 January.

"We are trying to coordinate with them our efforts, and all of us, we agree, and we are hoping to get over this situation before the president comes to the office," the prime minister said. He added that Trump’s team is eager for an immediate resolution, stating,

"They want this to be resolved now - today even."

The prime minister also addressed criticisms regarding Hamas’s political office in Doha. He emphasised that the office was established transparently and with the approval of the US and Israel, serving as a platform for negotiations since 2014.

"There are tons of situations where we have prevented an escalation from the beginning in order not to put ourselves in a situation like what we ended up with on 7 October," Mr. al Thani said, referring to Hamas's surprise attack on Israel.

Despite these efforts, Israel has continued to escalate its genocidal war in Gaza. More than 44,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel’s response followed the October 2023 attack that left 1,208 Israelis dead and resulted in over 200 captives being taken into Gaza.

While captives have been released through previous negotiations brokered by Qatar, including during a brief truce in November last year, recent talks have failed to yield results.

President-elect Trump warned on social media of severe repercussions if captives are not freed before he assumes office, vowing, “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America.”

The prime minister of Qatar struck a cautious tone regarding Trump’s return to power, noting, "There are a lot of risks but plenty of opportunities. I hope that everyone sees these opportunities."