Qatar Resumes Gaza Mediation Role As Trump Envoy Pushes For Deal, Israel Gives New Proposal To Hamas

US President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy is said to have traveled to Qatar and Israel in late November. Steve Witkoff’s visits were aimed to kick-start efforts to reach a Gaza truce and hostage release deal before Trump takes office, as per reports. Witkoff reportedly met separately with Israeli PM Netanyahu and Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Witkoff reportedly met Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, in Doha on Nov. 22. Al Thani told Sky News on Dec. 4 that a Trump official had told him the incoming president wanted to get a deal done by January 20.“We had heard this from his team… that they want this (hostage deal) to be resolved now — today, even,” Al Thani said. Witkoff then travelled to Israel where he met Netanyahu on Nov. 23, as per reports. The meetings signal that Qatar has resumed its role as a key mediator after suspending its involvement last month. Hamas negotiators would likely return to Doha to facilitate a fresh round of talks, the Times of Israel reported citing an unnamed source. n18oc_world n18oc_crux0:00 INTRODUCTION3:12 BIDEN ADMIN DOWNPLAYS TRUMP ENVOY’S GAZA DEAL EFFORTS6:35 TRUMP APPOINTS SPECIAL ENVOY FOR HOSTAGE AFFAIRS8:58 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S “WAKE UP CALL” ON GAZA