US, Qatari defense chiefs holding talks in Washington

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth welcomed Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud al-Thani to the US defense headquarters for talks on Friday.

Hegseth hosted an enhanced honor cordon for Sheikh Saoud.

The closed-door meeting came after a Gaza ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas early Thursday in Egypt’s Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, mediated by guarantor states Qatar, Egypt, the US, and Türkiye.

The 20-point ceasefire plan, first announced on Sept. 29 by US President Donald Trump, includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the rebuilding of Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has left Gaza largely uninhabitable, leading to widespread starvation and diseases.

Israel has approved “phase one” of the ceasefire agreement, and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said the group has received guarantees that the agreement means the war in Gaza “has ended completely.”