PARIS: Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, is expected to visit Paris this week for discussions with President Emmanuel Macron on Gaza ceasefire.
French presidency on Sunday said that the ruler’s visit on Tuesday and Wednesday will be his first state visit to France since he became emir of the Qatar in 2013.
Qatar has become a key player in mediation between Israel and Hamas to agree a ceasefire in Gaza and release more hostages.
Doha is host to the political bureau of Hamas but also enjoys warm ties with the United States.
French presidential official has said that Qatar is working on the release of the hostages, which is a priority for France.
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The talks will also focus on ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire and enable aid to be provided to the Gazan population.
A previous week-long ceasefire in November witnessed the release of more than 100 captives and 240 Palestinian prisoners but so far, no other such agreement has been reached despite intense efforts over the last weeks.
Egyptian, Qatari and US experts met in Doha on Sunday for talks which were also attended by representatives from Israel and Hamas to achieve a truce before the month of Ramadan.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told media that the Doha talks followed a weekend meeting in Paris, without Hamas, where representatives reached an understanding about what would be the basic contours of a captives deal and temporary ceasefire.
According to Hamas health ministry Israel’s relentless bombardment has killed at least 29,692 people, mostly women and children.
