Qatar’s PM says he sees renewed momentum for reaching hostage deal

Qatar’s prime minister says that momentum had returned to talks aimed at cementing a truce and hostage exchange deal in Gaza following the election of Donald Trump as US president.

“We have sensed, after the election, that the momentum is coming back,” Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani tells the Doha Forum for political dialogue, adding there had been “a lot of encouragement from the incoming administration in order to achieve a deal, even before the president comes to the office.”

The Qatari leader also touches on the ongoing rebel advance in Syria, saying that President Bashar al-Assad failed to engage with his people and address issues like the return of refugees during a period of calm in the country’s war.

“Assad didn’t seize these opportunities to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people, and we didn’t see any serious movement, whether it’s on the return of the refugees or on reconciling with his own people,” Al-Thani says.