Qatar PM Calls on Hamas, Israel to Begin Immediate Talks on Gaza Ceasefire Phase Two

 Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani (R) and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan give a joint press conference in Doha on February 2, 2025. (AFP)
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani (R) and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan give a joint press conference in Doha on February 2, 2025. (AFP)
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Qatar PM Calls on Hamas, Israel to Begin Immediate Talks on Gaza Ceasefire Phase Two

 Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani (R) and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan give a joint press conference in Doha on February 2, 2025. (AFP)
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani (R) and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan give a joint press conference in Doha on February 2, 2025. (AFP)

Qatar's prime minister on Sunday called on Israel and Hamas to immediately begin negotiating phase two of the Gaza ceasefire, adding that there is no clear plan for when talks will begin.

"We demand (Hamas and Israel) to engage immediately as stipulated in the agreement," Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said at a press conference held jointly with Türkiye's foreign minister in the Qatari capital Doha on Sunday.

According to the ceasefire agreement , negotiations on implementing the second phase of the deal should begin before the 16th day of phase one of the ceasefire, which is Monday.

Israel and Hamas last month reached a complex three-phase accord that has halted the fighting in Gaza. Hamas has so far released 18 hostages in exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

There are more than 70 hostages still held in Gaza.

The second stage of the accord is expected to include Hamas releasing all remaining hostages held in Gaza, a permanent end to hostilities and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave.

"There is nothing yet clear about where the delegations will come and when it's going to take place," Sheikh Mohammed said.

Mediators have engaged with Hamas and Israel over the phone and Qatar has set an agenda for the next phase of negotiations, he said.

"We hope that we start to see some movement in the next few days. It's critical that we get things rolling from now in order to get to an agreement before day 42."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he would begin negotiations on phase two of the agreement on Monday in Washington, when he is set to meet US President Donald Trump's Middle East Envoy, Steve Witkoff.

During his meeting with Witkoff, Netanyahu will discuss Israel's positions in respect to the ceasefire, the prime minister's office said. Witkoff will then speak with officials from Egypt and Qatar, who have mediated between Israel and Hamas over the past 15 months with backing from Washington.



Saudi Crown Prince Receives US Secretary of State in Riyadh

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Receives US Secretary of State in Riyadh

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received in Riyadh on Monday US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the eve of talks on Ukraine.

Rubio had arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday to prepare for the talks and plan the anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump and Putin have agreed to kick of peace talks about Ukraine that will be attended by Crown Prince Mohammed.

Saudi and American officials will discuss bilateral relations and regional cooperation, as well as efforts to push forward peace and stability in the region.

The State Department had said Rubio’s visit to the region will “promote US interests in advancing regional cooperation, stability, and peace.”

“The trip will center on freeing American and all other hostages from Hamas captivity, advancing to Phase II of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, and countering the destabilizing activities of the Iranian regime and its proxies,” it said in a statement.