Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al ThaniReuters/Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani held a meeting on Saturday with a Hamas delegation in Doha to push forward a "clear and comprehensive" ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza, AFP reported, citing a statement from Qatar's foreign ministry.

The Hamas delegation was led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, who was appointed in August to lead indirect negotiations with Israel for a Gaza ceasefire.

"During the meeting, the latest developments in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations were reviewed, and ways to advance the process were discussed to ensure a clear and comprehensive agreement that brings an end to the ongoing war in the region," the ministry’s statement said, as quoted by AFP.

This direct involvement by Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Qatar’s foreign minister, is notable as mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel have appeared stalled for months.

Israel and Hamas have been engaged in indirect talks, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, in an attempt to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal, but little progress has been recorded so far.

The Prime Minister's Office announced on Tuesday evening that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to bring the Israeli negotiation team, which had been in Qatar over the past week, back to Israel for consultations.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said on Wednesday that the negotiating team returned to Israel in order to allow for decisions to be made regarding the next part of the negotiations.

The sources also said that Hamas is ignoring the pressure from the mediators, and Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar is presenting inflexible positions, "more than his brother Yahya."

Hamas, for its part, blamed Israel for the lack of progress, claiming Israel presented new conditions which delayed the deal.

On Friday, White House National security communications adviser John Kirby stated that the White House is "actively working" to broker a ceasefire-hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, but also stressed that "Hamas is the obstacle" to an agreement.