Qatar’s prime minister has warned the US that any retaliation for the drone attack that killed three American soldiers in Jordan would jeopardize the ongoing negotiations for a hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
According to Sky News, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al Thani said he had made good progress in weekend talks with US, Israeli and Egyptian intelligence officials in Paris on a framework for a new agreement that would see the release of more than 200 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since October.
He said he hoped to present the proposal to Hamas soon and persuade them to “engage constructively” with the process. He also said the talks could pave the way for a permanent ceasefire in the future.
Sky News understands that a draft deal has been sent to Hamas today for their approval.
The Qatari prime minister’s comments came as Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he expected more from Qatar in its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas.
Netanyahu said Qatar had “enormous leverage” over Hamas, as it hosts and funds the militant group, and that its recent failed attempts to broker a ceasefire deal were being scrutinized by the international community.
“We should demand from Qatar – that hosts Hamas, they host Hamas leaders, they fund Hamas – to achieve the release of the remainder of our hostages,” Netanyahu told TalkTV.
“I think that the entire world is looking at Qatar…CONTINUE READING>>
