Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has arrived in Doha for talks on securing a ceasefire in Gaza with the Qatari emir, whose country has been at the heart of mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas.
The Palestinian Ambassador to Qatar, Munir Ghannam, told Voice of Palestine radio on Sunday that Abbas and the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday would discuss efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire with Israel and ways to increase aid for the territory’s 2.3 million people.
Qatar hosts the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, as well as another senior leader in the group, Khaled Meshaal, who handles diaspora affairs in the Hamas political office.
The visit comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises to advance plans for a ground offensive on Rafah, despite growing international alarm at the potential consequences for the 1.4 million Palestinian civilians crammed in the city in southern Gaza.
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