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 Leadership Provides Two Donations Worth SAR150 Mln Through Jood Eskan Platform

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
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Saudi Leadership Provides Two Donations Worth SAR150 Mln Through Jood Eskan Platform

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, have provided two generous donations amounting to SAR150 million through the Jood Eskan platform.

The move aligns with the leadership's commitment to supporting all national efforts and initiatives to provide suitable housing for deserving families.

Minister of Municipalities and Housing and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Developmental Housing Foundation (Sakan) Majed Al-Hogail expressed his deep gratitude to the leadership for its unwavering support to all national efforts and initiatives aimed at providing suitable housing for eligible families across the Kingdom.

He noted the effective impact of previous generous donations in achieving the goals of housing development, and motivating individuals and institutions to donate through the Jood Eskan platform that is based on community giving that helps provide decent housing and boosts stability and quality of life for deserving families.


Saudi Crown Prince Receives Message on Bilateral Ties from President of Kazakhstan

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA file)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA file)
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Saudi Crown Prince Receives Message on Bilateral Ties from President of Kazakhstan

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA file)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA file)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received on Tuesday a written message from President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on bilateral relations between their two countries.

The message was received by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah during a meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Yermek Kosherbayev in Riyadh.


Princes and Officials Take Oath Before Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and other officials are seen during the ceremony in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and other officials are seen during the ceremony in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Princes and Officials Take Oath Before Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and other officials are seen during the ceremony in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and other officials are seen during the ceremony in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)

Princes and officials appointed by royal orders to their new positions took the oath of office before Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh on Tuesday.

They included Deputy Governor of Al-Baha Region Prince Fahd bin Saad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki; Member of the Shura Council Prince Dr. Saad bin Saud bin Mohammed bin Abdulaziz; Deputy Governor of Madinah Region Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud; Deputy Governor of Northern Borders Region Prince Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz; and Minister of Investment Fahd Al-Saif.

They swore to be faithful to their religion, then their King and country, not to reveal any of the state’s secrets, to preserve its interests and regulations, and to perform their duties with honesty, trustworthiness, and sincerity.