Qatar PM meets Hamas delegation for Gaza ceasefire talks

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim Al Thani met a Hamas delegation in Doha on Saturday to discuss a "clear and comprehensive" ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza, a statement said.

Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani held talks with a Hamas team led by senior official Khalil Al Hayya, the foreign ministry statement said.

It is unusual for Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Qatar's foreign minister, to be publicly involved in the mediation process that has appeared deadlocked for months.

"During the meeting, the latest developments in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations were reviewed, and ways to advance the process were discussed to ensure a clear and comprehensive agreement that brings an end to the ongoing war in the region," the statement said.

Earlier this month, Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani expressed optimism that "momentum" was returning to the talks following Donald Trump's election victory in the United States.

"We have sensed, after the election, that the momentum is coming back," he said at the Doha Forum political conference.

The incoming Trump administration had given "a lot of encouragement in order to achieve a deal, even before the president comes to the office", the premier added.

The Gulf emirate, along with the United States and Egypt, has been involved in months of unsuccessful negotiations for a Gaza truce and hostage release.

Agence France-Presse