DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Talks on Gaza Cease-Fire Revive After Weeks of Deadlock
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Aaron Boxerman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Israeli negotiators traveled to the Gulf nation of Qatar on Friday for the first time in weeks to restart contacts over a cease-fire deal that would end the war in Gaza, following weeks of deadlock in the negotiations. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the meeting as a preliminary discussion with more substantive talks to follow. David Barnea, the head of Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence service, led the Israeli delegation to Doha, the Qatari capital, where he was set to meet with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister. Cease-fire negotiations had been stalled for weeks until Wednesday, when Hamas announced that it had exchanged some ideas with mediators on a new way forward. Both U.S. and Israeli officials said the revised Hamas position could allow for an agreement, but cautioned that a protracted and difficult series of deliberations lay ahead nonetheless.

Persons: David Barnea, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Organizations: Doha, Hamas, U.S Locations: Gulf, Qatar, Gaza, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani

☆ Sources say they were ‘duped’ by Egypt changing ceasefire terms for Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Alex Marquardt | Jeremy Diamond | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The ceasefire agreement that Hamas ended up announcing on May 6 was not what the Qataris or the Americans believed had been submitted to Hamas for a potential final review, the sources said. “We were all duped,” one of those sources told CNN. More of Hamas’ demands were inserted into the original framework that Israel had tacitly agreed to in order to secure Hamas’ approval, the source said. After discovering the Egyptian freelancing, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani informed Israel’s intelligence service Mossad that Egypt had acted alone, two of the sources told CNN. The day before Hamas made their May 6 public announcement agreeing to the proposal, an Egyptian source told CNN that Egypt had received Hamas’ response and relayed it to the Israeli side.

Persons: Israel, Bill Burns, Burns, ”, Ahmed Abdel Khalek, Abdel Khalek, Abbas Kamel, ’, Abdel Kareem Hana, Antony Blinken, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Bill Burns Bill Clark, Biden, Yahya Sinwar doesn’t, Critics of Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, Hamas, CIA, US, Biden, Military Locations: Gaza, Qatar, Israel, Egypt, Al Thani, Cairo, Washington, Rafah

According to Israeli officials, about 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza. Qatar and Egypt have been acting as intermediaries between Israel and Hamas, which do not negotiate directly. The talks had appeared to stall last week, after discussions held in Cairo failed to reach a breakthrough. Mr. Kirby said Mr. McGurk intended to press the Israeli war cabinet for its plans for its military operation in Rafah. Israeli and U.S. officials have argued that an immediate cease-fire would allow Hamas to regroup and fortify in Gaza, and reduce the pressure for making a deal to release hostages held in the territory.

Persons: Biden’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, David Barnea, William Burns, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Abbas Kamel, Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Israel’s, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Brett McGurk, Yoav Gallant, “, Brett, ”, John Kirby, McGurk, Mr, ” Mr, Kirby, Gallant, Adam Sella, Cassandra Vinograd Organizations: Qatari, White, Mr, National Security Council, United, Security Locations: U.S, Paris, Gaza, Israel, Thani, Qatar, Egypt, Cairo, Gaza’s, Rafah, Tel Aviv, United States

But no deal has been struck, and it is not clear how Israel will respond to Hamas’s counterproposal. “The reply includes some comments, but in general it is positive,” he said. He declined to offer further details, but said the counteroffer had been delivered to Israeli officials. “We are optimistic,” Sheikh Mohammed said. Mr. Blinken said that he planned to discuss Hamas’s response with Israeli leaders on Wednesday.

Persons: Hamas’s, Israel, Antony J, Blinken, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, ”, ” Sheikh Mohammed, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Abdel Fattah el Locations: Gaza, U.S, Israel, Rafah, Egypt, Doha, Thani, Qatar, Cairo

The U.S. on Friday began its widely anticipated response to a drone attack that killed three American service members over the weekend with military strikes on sites used by Iran-backed militants in Iraq and Syria. Strikes were carried out on dozens of targets across Iraq and Syria and involved manned and unmanned aircraft, according to the Associated Press. The Biden administration promised a response to the drone strike over the weekend that also injured dozens of American personnel in Jordan. The U.S. attributed the deadly drone strike to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias. Iran this week threatened to “decisively respond” to any U.S. attack on the Islamic Republic, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, ” Amir Saeid Iravani, John Kirby, ” Kirby, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin, al Thani Organizations: Associated Press, Army Reserve, U.S, Islamic, United Nations, White House, Qatari Locations: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, The U.S, Israel, Islamic Republic, Republic, Qatar

☆ Widening Mideast Crisis Qatar Is Expected to Present Hamas With Deal for Pause in Fighting
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Edward Wong | Julian E. Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Qatar is presenting the proposal to the political leaders of Hamas, who would convey it to the group’s military leaders, who would then send a response. During a seven-day pause in November, many people in those categories were among more than 100 hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas and other men from Gaza took about 240 people hostage in the terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, which also resulted in about 1,200 deaths, Israeli officials said. Hamas has tried to steer any diplomacy toward discussion of a permanent cease-fire, but Israeli leaders have balked at that. The Israeli officials were expected to speak to leaders in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv about the framework after returning there from Paris.

Persons: Antony J, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, William J, Burns, Shin, Blinken, “, ” Sheikh Mohammed, Biden, Michael Crowley Organizations: Hamas, Central Intelligence Agency, Atlantic Council, New York Times, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Israel Locations: Qatar, Thani, Washington ., Gaza, Israel, United States, Paris, Egypt, Shin Bet, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Washington, Palestinian, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ Qatar Hopes US Retaliation Won't Undercut Hostage Talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Qatar's prime minister on Monday said he hoped U.S. retaliation for an attack that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan would not undercut progress toward a new Israel-Hamas hostage release deal in weekend talks. According to Israel, some 1,200 people were killed and 253 abducted in the attack, which sparked Israel's war to eliminate Hamas. In a major escalation, three U.S. service members were killed and at least 34 wounded in a drone attack by Iran-backed militants on U.S. troops in northeastern Jordan near the Syrianborder, U.S. officials said on Sunday. Speaking at Washington's Atlantic Council think tank, the Qatari prime minister said U.S. retaliation "will definitely have an impact ... One way or another it will definitely have an impact on regional security and we hope things get contained." (Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Arshad Mohammed and Andrew Mills; Editing by Ros Russell)

Persons: Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin, al, William Burns, Sheikh Mohammed, Joe Biden, Jonathan Landay, Arshad Mohammed, Andrew Mills, Ros Russell Organizations: WASHINGTON, Qatari, CIA, Israel, Yemen's, Washington's Atlantic Council Locations: Jordan, Israel, al Thani, Washington, Iran, Qatar, United States, Gaza, East, Yemen's Iran, Red, U.S, Syrian

U.S. officials said Israel’s apparent willingness to agree to a cessation of hostilities in return for the release of more hostages being held in Gaza has created a new opening for negotiations. Any new deal would likely include phased releases of hostages, though the White House is hoping that a more ambitious one, possibly leading to the release of all of the remaining hostages, might be possible. The talks were mediated by Qatar, which was negotiating with Hamas, as well as by Egypt. At least some of the officials last met in Warsaw in December, but those discussions stalled over Hamas’s insistence that the remaining hostages be released in exchange for a permanent cease-fire and larger prisoner releases. Israel rejected any permanent cease-fire and was pushing for a shorter pause in fighting.

Persons: William J, Burns, David Barnea, Barnea, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Abbas Kamel, Israel Organizations: Qatari, Hamas Locations: Europe, United States, Gaza, Israel, Qatar, Egypt, Thani, Warsaw

☆ The secret negotiations that led to the Gaza hostages deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Pictures of hostages held in Gaza, who were seized from southern Israel on October 7 by Hamas gunmen during a deadly attack, are displayed in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 15, 2023. Demands were made that Hamas produce the lists of hostages it was holding, their identifying information, and guarantees of release. Biden held a previously undisclosed phone call with the Qatari prime minister when the phasing of releases began to take shape, the official said. Shortly after Biden's call, Hamas produced details for the 50 hostages it said would be released in the first phase of any deal. Biden in a Nov. 14 call urged Netanyahu to take the deal - Netanyahu agreed.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Bill Burns, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Brett McGurk, Sullivan, McGurk, Josh Geltzer, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Biden, Netanyahu, Judith Raanan, Burns, David Barnea, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ”, Abbas Kamil, Word, Steve Holland, Don Durfee Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, White, U.S, Israeli, CIA, U.S . Middle East, National Security Council, Hamas, Qatari, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Tel Aviv, Qatar, Egypt, United States, U.S, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sullivan’s, Doha, Cairo, San Francisco, Asia, Lincoln

Biden vowed that he would not relent until all American hostages in Gaza were released. Biden had his own demand throughout the talks: Humanitarian assistance had to reach Gaza, regardless of a deal. Israel’s ground invasion plans were revised so fighting could be paused if a hostage deal came together. Talks resumed last Friday, and in another conversation with the Qatari emir, Biden told him it was the last shot at a hostage deal and he had to close it now. Officials also crafted a way to try to entice Hamas to release more hostages than the 50 already agreed to.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Brett McGurk, Joshua Geltzer, McGurk, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Israel —, “, ”, Netanyahu, – Natalie, Judith Raanan –, Natalie’s, wouldn’t, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Israel, Al Thani, ” Netanyahu, — — Kim, Magdy, Frankel Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S ., White House, U.S, Israeli, White, National Security, CIA, Hamas, ., Israeli Defense Forces, Shifa Hospital, Qatari Locations: Qatar, United States, U.S, Egypt, Gaza, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Israel, Doha, Cairo, Nantucket , Massachusetts, Jerusalem

☆ The Secret Negotiations That Led to the Gaza Hostages Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +8 min

Five days later, on Oct. 23, the White House team's work helped yield the release of two American hostages, Natalie and Judith Raanan. Demands were made that Hamas produce the lists of hostages it was holding, their identifying information, and guarantees of release. Biden held a previously undisclosed phone call with the Qatari prime minister when the phasing of releases began to take shape, the official said. Shortly after Biden's call, Hamas produced details for the 50 hostages it said would be released in the first phase of any deal. Biden in a Nov. 14 call urged Netanyahu to take the deal - Netanyahu agreed.

Persons: Steve Holland WASHINGTON, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Bill Burns, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Brett McGurk, Sullivan, McGurk, Josh Geltzer, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Biden, Netanyahu, Judith Raanan, Burns, David Barnea, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ”, Abbas Kamil, Word, Steve Holland, Don Durfee Organizations: White, U.S, Israeli, CIA, U.S . Middle East, National Security Council, Hamas, Qatari Locations: Israel, Qatar, Egypt, United States, U.S, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Tel Aviv, Sullivan’s, Gaza, Doha, Cairo, San Francisco, Asia

☆ Qatar and UAE embassies resume work on Monday, Qatar's foreign ministry says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on July 14, 2017. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates' respective embassies reopened on Monday to resume work after the two Gulf states agreed to restore diplomatic ties, Qatar's foreign ministry said. The restoration of ties comes amid a broader regional push for reconciliation and more than two years after Arab states ended a boycott of Doha that had shattered the Western-allied Gulf Arab bloc. The Qatari ministry said in a statement that the two foreign ministers, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, had held a phone call as the two embassies reopened on Monday. Reuters reported in April that the two Gulf states were in the process of restoring diplomatic relations.

Persons: Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Mevlut Cavusoglu, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Organizations: Turkish Foreign, United Arab Emirates, Reuters, Doha Locations: Qatar, Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al, Thani, Doha, Arab, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Islam, Iran, Riyadh, Cairo, Saudi, Yemen

☆ Qatar’s prime minister met with top Taliban leader in Afghanistan earlier this month, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Qatar’s prime minister met secretly with the Taliban’s top leader earlier this month in Afghanistan, two sources familiar with the meeting confirmed to CNN. The meeting happened in the southern city of Kandahar on May 12, between the Taliban Supreme Leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada and Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. The meeting, first reported by Reuters, is believed to be the first between Akhundzada and a foreign leader. Despite American warnings to the Taliban not harbor terrorists, Al Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri took up residence in Kabul before being killed in a US drone strike last July. Qatar serves as the US protecting power in Afghanistan, where it does not have a diplomatic presence.

Persons: CNN —, Haibatullah, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Biden, Antony Blinken, Qatar’s, ”, Qatar’s Al Jazeera, Thani, Al Qaeda’s, Ayman al, Zawahiri Organizations: CNN, Taliban, Qatar’s, Reuters, State Department, ” CNN, US State Department, Qatari Embassy, US Locations: Afghanistan, Kandahar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al, Thani, Qatar, Washington, Al, Doha, Kabul, Kabul –

Search resuls for: "Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al"

13 mentions found