The Qatari emir stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire during his Sunday meeting with the visiting U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. 

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani highlighted the necessity of working towards an immediate ceasefire, protecting civilians, ensuring sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid delivery to all areas of the Gaza Strip, and reducing escalation for stability and security in the region, as reported by Qatar News agency.

Later in the day, Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, held a press conference in Doha with Blinken.

The Prime Minister of Qatar told reporters that the recent killing of a senior Hamas leader has impacted Qatar's mediation efforts in the Israel-Hamas conflict, while Qatar remains committed to continuing its mediation efforts.

He also emphasized that hostile actions in the Red Sea are unacceptable, constituting unfortunate consequences of the Gaza conflict. 

For his part, Blinken stated he would raise the issue of protecting civilians during his upcoming visit to Israel, adding that Palestinian civilians must be allowed to return to their homes and should not be forced to leave Gaza.

Blinken is currently on a tour of several Middle Eastern countries, seeking to de-escalate the situation in the wake of the killing of a senior Hamas leader, which has further intensified the crisis in the region.

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