Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, said on Wednesday that he welcomed the potential for “a dialogue” with Hamas and heaped praise on Qatar for helping facilitate the cease-fire deal between Israel and Gaza, despite facing scrutiny for previous ties to the Gulf nation.

Qatar’s success in helping to broker the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire has enhanced its reputation as an international mediator, with officials now considering which other conflicts they could help resolve.

Qatar's Prime Minister said in Davos on Tuesday he hoped the Palestinian Authority would return to play a governing role in Gaza once the war with Israel comes to an end.

The Biden administration is putting pressure on a deal before the inauguration, which will see President-elect Donald Trump return to the White House.

Qatar might be a small country in the gulf region but they have played a critical role in negotiating on high stakes issues the last few years. […]

President Biden released a statement following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire announcement Wednesday, saying release of American hostages will be included in the agreement.

U.S. private security contractors will start in the coming days to operate a key Gaza checkpoint and deploy armed guards to the enclave, according to two Israeli officials and a source with direct knowledge.

Israeli forces have killed two Palestinian militants who carried out a deadly attack on a bus in the West Bank earlier this month

By working closely with the US and other international partners, Israel can better manage Qatar’s role in Gaza while striving to minimize the risks associated with its continued support for Hamas.

Qatari PM says ‘pushing for this'; Shin Beit, Mossad chiefs reportedly discussed next stage in Egypt, two weeks before start date; Trump envoy Witkoff also expected to be involved