Qatari, US officials discuss regional issues, including Gaza

By Ibrahim Al-Khazin

DOHA (AA) - Qatar and the US on Sunday discussed regional issues, particularly the latest situation in the Gaza Strip.

This came during a meeting between Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the US Under Secretary for Management John Bass in Doha.

The meeting “reviewed the close strategic relations between the State of Qatar and the United States of America and ways to support and develop them,” a Qatari Foreign Ministry statement said.

They also discussed “the developments in the region and ways for de-escalation and calm, especially ending the war in the Gaza Strip and enhancing security and stability in Afghanistan.”

In February 2020, an agreement was signed between the US and the Taliban in Afghanistan, with Qatar mediating direct negotiations between the two sides.

On Aug. 15, 2021, the Taliban seized control of territories in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US forces, marking the end of a nearly two-decade occupation since 2001.

For months, Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been leading indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas aimed at reaching an agreement to halt the fighting in the Gaza Strip and securing a hostage exchange deal.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala