United States President Donald Trump has thanked Qatar for its critical role in mediating ceasefire efforts in Gaza, as discussions on the next phase of the Washington-led peace plan continue.
Trump met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani aboard Air Force One during a refuelling stop in the Gulf nation en route to Malaysia.
“We’ve done a lot together, especially in the last year,” Trump said alongside the Qatari leaders. “What we’ve done is incredible – peace to the Middle East – and they were a very big factor in it, so I just want to thank you.”
Qatari leaders welcome dialogue on Gaza
In a post on X, Emir Sheikh Tamim expressed satisfaction with the meeting, calling it “a good opportunity to discuss peace plans in the Middle East, follow up on efforts to solidify the agreement to end the war in Gaza, and explore prospects for strategic cooperation between our two friendly nations.”
According to the Qatar News Agency, the leaders also discussed “supporting peace in the region, consolidating the agreement to end the war in Gaza, and ensuring the parties’ implementation of all its provisions.”
Washington pushes for progress in phase 2 of Gaza plan
The talks come amid ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to implement the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. Several senior officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visited Israel earlier this week to ensure compliance with the truce and discuss next steps.
Trump assured reporters that the ceasefire remains intact but warned that any violations would be met with swift action. “If not, Hamas will not be hard to take care of. It will be very quickly. But I hope it holds for Hamas, too, because they gave us their word on something,” he said.
Proposal for international stabilisation force
The US president also suggested that Qatari troops, along with personnel from other countries, could join an “international stabilisation force” to maintain security in Gaza.
“We have 59 countries. We have a lot of countries that are signed on,” Trump stated. “This should be an enduring peace.” He added that leadership roles within the force are currently being finalized and that deployment could begin “pretty quickly.”
Despite diplomatic progress, Israel has continued its strikes on Gaza, with at least one person killed and four others injured in recent attacks. Meanwhile, aid deliveries remain restricted, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the territory.
According to Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, Israel and the US are pressuring Hamas to return the bodies of Israeli captives taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks. Hamas has said it needs more time to access heavily bombarded areas of the Strip.
