The US president meets with Qatari leaders on Air Force One as the US government pushes to reach Phase 2 of the Gaza plan.
US President Donald Trump expressed gratitude for Qatar’s efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement in the Gaza Strip, as the US negotiates the next phase of Trump’s 20-Point Plan for Gaza.
President Trump welcomed Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani aboard Air Force One on Saturday, as the US presidential jet made a refueling stop in the Gulf nation en route to a summit in Malaysia.
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“We’ve done a lot together, especially over the last year,” President Trump said with Qatari leaders.
“What we’ve done is incredible, we’ve brought peace to the Middle East, and they’ve been a huge part of that, so I just want to thank them.”
In a readout of the meeting shared by Qatar News Agency, the country said the leaders discussed a range of issues, including efforts related to “supporting peace in the region, strengthening the agreement to end the war in Gaza, and ensuring the implementation of all provisions by the parties.”
The talks came as several Trump administration officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visited Israel this week to ensure key U.S. allies abide by the deal and discuss details of the second phase of the U.S.-led plan.
Experts say some elements of the deal remain unclear, including the US government’s demand for Hamas to disarm and the prospect of sending international security forces to Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabari, also reporting from the Qatari capital Doha on Saturday evening, noted that parts of the first phase, which includes the release of the bodies of all Israeli prisoners from Gaza, have not yet been completed.
“This is a disputed point, with Israel claiming that Hamas has not returned any of these bodies for the past four days,” she said.
“Hamas says it needs more time to gain access to areas that have become inaccessible as a result of the war and the heavy bombing that has hit the Strip.”
Meanwhile, Israel continues to carry out deadly attacks across Gaza, blocking the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians across Gaza and further straining the fragile ceasefire.
On Saturday, medical officials in Gaza told Al Jazeera that several Palestinians were shot and wounded by Israeli forces throughout the day across the Gaza Strip.
At least four people were injured in an Israeli car attack in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, and the Israeli military said it had targeted a suspected Palestinian Islamic Jihad member.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported from Gaza City that the attack “looks like a violation of an already fragile ceasefire.”
But U.S. officials have tried to send a positive message, telling reporters this week that the deal is on track despite the need for more work.
Rubio told reporters separately on Saturday that U.S. officials would get input on a possible U.N. resolution or international agreement authorizing multinational forces in Gaza.
The US Secretary of State added that he planned to discuss the issue in Qatar on Sunday.
“Many of the countries that have expressed interest in participating at some level, whether it’s money or personnel or both, will need it (a U.N. resolution or an international agreement) because their domestic laws require it,” Rubio said.
“So we’re working on that brief with our entire team.”
According to Al Jazeera’s Jabari newspaper, the message from the Trump administration on Saturday was that Qatar would play a key role as negotiations progress.
“The President of the United States emphasized that this ceasefire would not have been possible in the first place without the efforts of the United States to mediate,” she said.
“And of course, in order to move forward, to move from one stage to the next, we need the input and consultation of Qataris.”
