Qatari emir receives phone call from Biden on Gaza -report

Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received a phone call on Tuesday from US President Joe Biden to discuss the latest developments in Gaza and current joint mediation efforts for calming the situation in the besieged enclave to reach a permanent cease-fire, according to a report from the Qatari State News Agency.

Qatar and Egypt were mediators between Israel and Hamas in the late November truce during which Hamas released 110 women, children and foreigners it was holding in exchange for 240 Palestinian women and teenagers freed from Israeli jails.