U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on Wednesday to discuss negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire deal, Axios reporter Barak Ravid posted on X.
Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been taking part in the latest round of ceasefire talks in Doha since July 6, discussing a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that envisages a phased release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza and discussions on ending the conflict.
Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff had said on Sunday that he was "hopeful" on the ceasefire negotiations underway in Qatar, a key mediator between the two sides.
U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediators have been working to secure an agreement, however, Israel and Hamas are divided over the extent of an eventual Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave.
Trump earlier this year proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza, which was condemned globally by rights experts, the U.N. and Palestinians as a proposal of "ethnic cleansing."
Israel’s security cabinet convened Tuesday evening to review developments in the ongoing negotiations for a cease-fire and hostage release. Talks in Doha have shown progress on one of the core disputed issues: the maps detailing an IDF withdrawal from Gaza. The Israeli delegation presented updated maps, but no agreement has been finalized, and negotiations are expected to continue for several more days.
Sources involved in the talks said there has been “significant progress, but no breakthrough.” They added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has granted the Israeli negotiating team “greater flexibility and more room to make decisions in pursuit of a deal."
Trump and Sheikh Mohammed are also expected to discuss efforts to resume talks between the U.S. and Iran to reach a new nuclear agreement, Ravid added citing a source familiar with the matter.
