Doha: Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will attend the ongoing Gaza peace talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said. Sheikh Mohammed&#39;s &quot;participation in the meetings... comes at a critical stage of the talks, reaffirming the determination of the mediators to reach an agreement that would bring an end to the catastrophic war in the Gaza Strip,&quot; the ministry said Tuesday on X.

Middle East

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will attend the ongoing Gaza peace talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said

Qatar PM to join Gaza peace talks in Egypt: foreign ministry

WASHINGTON: Netanyahu on Monday apologized to Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for a military strike targeting Hamas officials in the emirate that infuriated Arab leaders and triggered rare condemnation by the US of Israel, according to two people, including a diplomatic official, familiar with the matter. Netanyahu called al Thani to extend the apology during his White House meeting on Monday with President Donald Trump. The people familiar spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. President Donald Trump was hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday for critical talks aimed at ending the war in Gaza and developing a US plan on post-war governance in the war-battered Palestinian territory. The White House talks between Netanyahu and Trump come at a tenuous moment. Israel is increasingly isolated, losing support from many countries that were long its steadfast allies. At home, Netanyahu&rsquo;s governing coalition appears more fragile than ever. And the White House is showing signs of impatience. The question now is whether Trump, who has offered steadfast backing to Netanyahu throughout the war, will change his tone and turn up the pressure on Israel to wind down the conflict. As he welcomed Netanyahu to the White House, Trump responded affirmatively when asked by reporters whether he was confident a deal would be soon reached to end the fighting between Israel and Hamas. &ldquo;I am. I&#39;m very confident,&rdquo; Trump said. White House urges Israel and Hamas to get to a ceasefire and hostage release deal Earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt urged both sides to finalize an agreement to bring an end to the nearly two-year old war in Gaza. &ldquo;Ultimately the president knows when you get to a good deal, both sides are going to leave a little bit unhappy,&rdquo; Leavitt told reporters. &ldquo;But we need this conflict to end.&rdquo; Trump and Netanyahu are first holding talks with aides in the Oval Office and over a private lunch. A joint press conference is expected later. Meanwhile, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, said Palestinian officials stood ready to work with Trump and Arab countries in bringing an end to the war. &ldquo;Let us not delay a single minute more in doing what is necessary for this just peace to replace the unbearable reality of today,&rdquo; Mansour said during a Security Council meeting on the Middle East. Trump growing more frustrated with conflict Trump joined forces with Netanyahu during Israel&#39;s brief war with Iran in June, ordering US stealth bombers to strike three nuclear sites, and he&#39;s supported the Israeli leader during his corruption trial, describing the case as a &ldquo;witch hunt.&rdquo; But the relationship has become more tense lately. Trump was frustrated by Israel&#39;s failed strike this month on Hamas officials in Qatar, a&nbsp;US ally in the region that had been hosting negotiations to end the war in Gaza. Last week, Trump vowed to prevent Israel from annexing the West Bank &mdash; an idea promoted by some of Netanyahu&#39;s hard-line governing partners. The international community opposes annexation, saying it would destroy hopes for a two-state solution. On Friday, Trump raised expectations for the meeting with Netanyahu, telling reporters the US was &ldquo;very close to a deal on Gaza.&rdquo; Trump made finding quick ends to the Gaza war, as well as Russia&#39;s invasion of Ukraine, a central plank of his successful 2024 presidential campaign. He&#39;s struggled mightily on both fronts. Proposal does not include expulsion of Palestinians Trump&rsquo;s proposal to stop the war in Gaza calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages within 48 hours and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian enclave, according to three Arab officials briefed on the plan. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plan has not been formally unveiled. Hamas is believed to be holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed by Israel to be alive. The militant group has demanded Israel agree to end the war and withdraw from all of Gaza as part of any permanent ceasefire. Trump discussed the plan with Arab and Islamic leaders in New York last week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. It doesn&rsquo;t include the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, which Trump appeared to endorse earlier this year. The 21-point proposal also calls for an end to Hamas rule of Gaza and the disarmament of the militant group, said the officials briefed on the plan. Hundreds of Palestinians, including many serving life sentences, will be released by Israel, according to the proposal. The plan also includes the establishment of an international security force to take over law enforcement in postwar Gaza, they said. A Palestinian committee of technocrats would oversee the civilian affairs of the strip, with power handed over later to a reformed Palestinian Authority, they said. Netanyahu has rejected any role for the authority, the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinians, in postwar Gaza. A Hamas official said the group was briefed on the plan but has yet to receive an official offer from Egyptian and Qatari mediators. The group has repeatedly rejected laying down arms and has linked its weapons to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Israel has lost much of the world&#39;s goodwill Apart from the US leadership, Israel has lost much of the international goodwill it once could count on. At a special session of the UN Security Council last week, nation after nation expressed horror at the 2023 attack by Hamas militants that killed about 1,200 people in Israel, saw 251 taken hostage and triggered the war. Then many of the representatives went on to criticize the response by Israel and call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and influx of aid. Israel&rsquo;s sweeping offensive has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run administration. Its figures are seen as a reliable estimate by the UN and many independent experts. The fighting has displaced 90% of the Gaza population, with an increasing number now starving. In recent weeks, 28 Western-aligned countries that circled behind Israel two years ago have called on it to end the offensive in Gaza. They also criticized Israel&rsquo;s restrictions on humanitarian aid, which have contributed to famine in parts of Gaza. Ten countries &mdash; including Britain, France, Canada and Australia &mdash; recognized Palestinian statehood last week, hoping to revive the long-moribund peace process. Several Arab states, including some with longstanding relations with Israel, have accused it of committing genocide in Gaza, as have leading genocide scholars, U.N. experts and some Israeli and international rights groups. The UN&rsquo;s highest court is weighing genocide allegations raised by South Africa that Israel vehemently denies

President Donald Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the West Wing of the White House, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP)

Asia

Netanyahu apologized to Qatar for strikes targeting Hamas during a meeting with Trump on Gaza peace talks amid growing US pressure. Trump has proposed a ceasefire, hostage release, and postwar governance plan for Gaza.

Netanyahu apologizes to Qatar PM for strike in Trump-led call

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran called for increased cooperation among Arab and Muslim states following Israel&rsquo;s recent airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar. Pakistan proposed the formation of a joint task force, while Iran called for the establishment of &ldquo;joint operations rooms&rdquo; to counter escalating Israeli aggression. Their proposals come ahead of an emergency Arab-Islamic summit scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. in Doha (8 p.m. PKT). Nearly 60 Arab and Islamic countries will convene to condemn the Israeli aggression and show solidarity with Qatar. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1967287260388471097&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=3bf6bc7387a33991ee425fbbd28c925568bbe357&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1967287260388471097"></iframe></div></div> Israeli strikes on DohaThe summit was convened in response to Israel&rsquo;s airstrikes on September 9, which targeted Hamas leaders attending ceasefire talks in Doha. The attack resulted in the deaths of five Hamas members, including the son of a senior leader, as well as a Qatari security officer. Several civilians were also injured. The attack was widely condemned across the Muslim world as a violation of Qatar&rsquo;s sovereignty and an infringement of international law. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Thani strongly denounced the strike as an act of &ldquo;state terrorism.&rdquo; He accused Israel of seeking to uproot Palestinians from their own homeland. He called on the international community to end double standards and hold the Israeli regime accountable for what he described as genocidal wars. Pakistan proposes a joint task forcePakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the Israeli airstrike as illegal and in violation of the United Nations Charter and international laws. He proposed the establishment of a joint Arab-Islamic task force charged with monitoring Israeli intentions and coordinating both deterrent and offensive actions. Dar described the attack on Qatar, a sovereign state engaged in ceasefire negotiations, as an assault on diplomacy itself. He called for an immediate ceasefire, a prisoner exchange, and the establishment of a two-state solution. The Pakistani deputy PM demanded that Israel be held accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Pakistan, alongside Algeria and Somalia, also raised the issue with the U.N. Security Council and Human Rights Council, advocating for practical measures including the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in Gaza. Iran calls for &#39;joint operations rooms&#39;The Secretary of Iran&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, sharply criticized Muslim states over perceived inaction regarding the Gaza conflict. In a statement shared via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he called for, &ldquo;at the very least, establishing a &lsquo;joint operations room&rsquo; against the madness of this entity,&rdquo; referring to Israel. Larijani warned that conferences filled only with rhetoric but lacking tangible outcomes invite further Israeli aggression. He urged Muslim states to unite in practical, coordinated resistance, asserting that such a move could destabilize the Israeli regime and compel change. Summit draft resolutionA draft resolution from the summit described the Israeli strike as a destabilizing escalation. It accused Israel of carrying out genocidal acts, ethnic cleansing, and colonial expansion that threaten peace prospects and normalization agreements in the region, such as the Abraham Accords, signed five years ago to normalize relations between Israel and several Gulf states. Convening of the Preparatory Ministerial Meeting for the Joint Arab-Islamic Emergency Summit in Doha to Discuss the Israeli Attack on the State of Qatar, image courtesy: <a data-fr-linked="true" href="//OIC.com" style="font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">OIC.com</a> Despite strong condemnation from the Arab-Islamic world, Israel maintained a defiant stance. On the day Arab ministers convened in Doha, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem.&nbsp; Rubio&rsquo;s visit aimed to &lsquo;clarify&rsquo; Israel&rsquo;s strategy regarding Gaza, the ongoing hostage situation, and humanitarian plans amid lingering tensions caused by the unauthorized airstrike in Qatar. Ongoing attacks in Gaza and the West BankMeanwhile, Gaza continues to endure heavy bombardment. Recent Israeli airstrikes have destroyed multiple high-rise buildings, forcing evacuations of civilians with often little notice. Palestinian health officials report that over 64,000 Palestinians have died since the conflict escalated, including over 18,000 children. Several international media outlets have also reported an uptick in attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The United Arab Emirates, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020, warned against annexation plans in the West Bank. It described such moves as a &ldquo;red line&rdquo; threatening hopes for peace. While the Arab-Islamic summit is expected to adopt a joint resolution condemning Israel&rsquo;s strike, it currently does not include sanctions or punitive measure.

Arab-Islamic Summit: Pakistan calls for joint task force, Iran urges ‘operations rooms’ against Israel, image courtesy: OIC

Articles tagged with "Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Thani"

Qatar PM to join Gaza peace talks in Egypt: foreign ministry

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