US President Donald Trump is set to hold talks on Friday evening in New York with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, following an Israeli strike earlier this week targeting Hamas leaders in Doha.
Al-Thani will kick off his visit with meetings in Washington, including a session with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as part of Doha’s diplomatic efforts to rally international pressure on Israel regarding its actions in Gaza.
Discussions are expected to cover a proposed U.S.-Qatar security agreement. Trump has directed Secretary Rubio to fast-track negotiations on this front. Qatar hopes recent events—the Israeli strike and an Iranian attack on a U.S. base in the country—will help solidify a formal security guarantee from the U.S.
In response to the strike, the United Nations Security Council convened at Qatar’s request. Al-Thani has publicly condemned the strike, but emphasized that Qatar intends to maintain its humanitarian and diplomatic roles in the conflict.
Trump remarked on Thursday that he hopes the Israeli strike will not derail negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza or the release of hostages, adding that he wants those hostages freed “soon.”
