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Qatar is intensifying efforts to broker a Gaza hostage and ceasefire agreement, but skepticism remains over whether a deal can be reached before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Senior US and Israeli officials spent several days in Doha last week for talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt, Axios reported. Qatar’s prime minister also met with a Hamas delegation on Saturday.
At stake are the fate of over 100 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza — nearly half believed to be alive — and an end to Israel’s offensive, which has left much of the enclave in ruins.
Trump has warned there would be “hell to pay in the Middle East” if the hostages aren’t released by Jan. 20, when he takes office, heightening regional pressure to resolve the crisis and avoid a potential Iran-Israel-US confrontation.
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Qatar paused its mediation efforts in November, saying it was being used as a “reason for blackmailing” Doha. The gas-rich country — which has made itself indispensable at times as a diplomatic hub for intractable conflicts — faces growing pressure to expel Hamas. The country has deepened contacts with its rival the UAE in recent months, a signal that it may scale back its involvement in Gaza during the Trump presidency and cede the post-conflict reconstruction role to Abu Dhabi, according to a Qatari analyst.