Sharm el-sheikh: Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman is set to head to Egypt's Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday to engage in Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel. The prime minister's involvement is part of ongoing efforts to mediate a resolution to the conflict.

According to Anadolu Agency, Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari announced on the US social media company X that Sheikh Mohammed's presence at the talks signals a critical phase in the negotiations. The discussions aim to reach a permanent ceasefire, amid regional and international efforts to bring an end to the war in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas and Israel have been engaged in indirect negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, working towards a ceasefire and a prisoner swap as part of US President Donald Trump's Gaza plan. The plan, unveiled on September 29, proposes a 20-point framework which includes the release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the reconstruction of Gaza. Hamas has agreed to the plan in principle.

The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with the Israeli military having killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians, primarily women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The ongoing bombardment has devastated the region, causing mass displacement, starvation, and the spread of disease.