Latest news with #GazaCeasefire
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Trump to meet Qatar's PM as push for Gaza ceasefire deal continues
Donald Trump and Sheikh Mohammed Abdulrahman al-Thani are also set to discuss reviving US-Iran nuclear talks. (EPA Images pic) WASHINGTON : US President Donald Trump will meet with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on Wednesday, the White House said, as Trump presses for progress on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal. Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been taking part in the latest round of ceasefire talks in Doha since July 6, discussing a US-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that envisages a phased release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza, and discussions on ending the conflict. Trump will host the Qatari leader for dinner at the White House on Wednesday evening, the White House said in a daily schedule for the president. Trump on Sunday said he hoped talks for a ceasefire deal would be 'straightened out' this week. Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff had said on Sunday he was 'hopeful' about the ceasefire negotiations under way in Qatar, a key mediator between the two sides. US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have been working to secure an agreement; however, Israel and Hamas are divided over the extent of an eventual Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in Oct 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel. Israel says Hamas killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages. Gaza's Health Ministry says Israel's subsequent military assault has killed over 58,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population, and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations. A previous two-month ceasefire ended when Israeli strikes killed more than 400 Palestinians on March 18. Trump this year proposed a US takeover of Gaza, which was condemned globally by rights experts, the UN and Palestinians as a proposal of 'ethnic cleansing'. Trump and Sheikh Mohammed are also expected to discuss efforts to resume talks between the US and Iran to reach a new nuclear agreement.
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Trump hosts Qatar's PM for private dinner, meets Bahrain crown prince
President Donald Trump has hosted Qatar's prime minister for a private dinner and met with Bahrain's crown prince at the White House as part of a United States effort to address regional issues, including securing a Gaza ceasefire, and promote diplomatic ties with the Gulf region. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister and a member of the country's ruling family, had a private dinner with Trump on Wednesday evening. Before this meal, Trump met with Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office. With little progress to share on the region's most pressing conflicts, including Israel's war on Gaza, Trump was more focused on Wednesday on promoting diplomatic ties as a vehicle for economic growth. Trump has lavished attention on the Gulf, a wealthy region where members of his family have extensive business relationships. In mid-May, he visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the first foreign policy trip of his second term. While in Qatar in mid-May, Trump complimented its palaces and stopped at the Al Udeid Air Base, the biggest US military base in the Middle East. The base was hit by Iran after the US bombed the country's nuclear facilities, hours before a ceasefire was declared in the US-Israel-Iran conflict. One ballistic missile made impact, while others were intercepted. The visit culminated in deals worth at least $1.2 trillion, including a major transaction for Qatar Airways to buy 210 aircraft from Boeing. Another deal included purchases of drone and anti-drone technology from US defence companies like Raytheon, and investments in the US energy sector. Trump wants to use a luxurious Boeing 747 donated by Qatar as his Air Force One, saying he is tired of waiting for Boeing to finish new planes. However, the arrangement has stirred concerns about security and the ethics of accepting a gift from a foreign government. Aaron David Miller, who served as an adviser on Middle East issues to Democratic and Republican administrations, said 'the Gulf represents everything that Trump believes is right about the Middle East. 'It's rich, it's stable, it's populated by authoritarians with whom the president feels very comfortable,' said Miller. During his earlier meeting with Al Khalifa, Trump said: 'Anything they needed, we helped them. And anything we needed, they helped us.' Bahrain is a longtime ally that hosts the US Fifth Fleet, which operates in the Middle East. Like other Arab leaders, Al Khalifa is eager to highlight the lucrative potential of diplomatic ties with the US, including $17bn worth of investments. 'And this is real,' he said. 'It's real money. These aren't fake deals.' According to the White House, the agreements include purchasing US aircraft, jet engines and computer servers. More investments could be made in aluminium production and artificial intelligence. Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the crown prince's father, is expected to visit Washington before the end of the year. An important part of the relationship will be an agreement, signed on Wednesday, to advance cooperation on civilian nuclear energy.
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Trump to meet Qatar's prime minister to discuss Gaza ceasefire deal: Reports
US President Donald Trump will meet with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on Wednesday to discuss negotiations over the Gaza ceasefire deal, Axios reporter Barak Ravid posted on X. Qatar is a key mediator between Israel and Hamas. The two are also expected to discuss efforts to resume talks between the US and Iran to reach a new nuclear agreement.
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Gaza mediators ‘intensifying' efforts to reach deal in Doha
Gaza ceasefire talks remain in their 'first phase' after more than a week of talks, even as mediators step up efforts to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas, Qatar said Tuesday. 'Discussions on the framework agreement are still ongoing. Both delegations are present here in Doha, and the mediators are intensifying efforts to reach an agreement,' Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told reporters. 'The negotiations are still in the first phase, which is specifically about reaching an agreement of principle ahead of negotiations that will begin, God willing, in the next phase,' he said. But uncertainty loomed over the efforts, which had appeared deadlocked over the weekend, with each side accusing the other of staking out positions that prevented a deal from being reached. 'We cannot say whether an agreement will be reached tomorrow or whether the negotiations will collapse tomorrow,' al-Ansari said. On Saturday, Palestinian sources told AFP that Israel's proposals for keeping troops in the territory were preventing progress towards a deal. But the Qatari spokesman insisted: 'We believe there is no stalemate,' adding there was no set timeframe for the talks. Qatar has been mediating indirect negotiations between the warring parties alongside Egypt and the United States.
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Gaza talks deadlocked, Trump ups pressure on Russia over Ukraine
In this episode of W News Extra, presented by Jono Hayes, we report on the faltering Gaza ceasefire talks, now in their second week. Mediators in Qatar are struggling to close the gap between Israel and Hamas, as both sides trade blame for stalling a proposed 60-day truce and hostage release deal – after 21 months of war. We also cover US President Donald Trump's latest warning to Russia: end the Ukraine war within 50 days or face sweeping new economic sanctions. Trump also announced expanded US weapons support for Kyiv. Guests: Micheal Jabri Pickett Wissam Keyrouz
