Damascus:Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said that Qatar welcomes the new

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani holds joint press conference with head of Syria's new administration Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus - Anadolu Ajansı

Sheikh Mohammed also promises to support the new administration and the rehabilitation of Syria’s infrastructure.

Qatari and Hamas officials say a ceasefire has been reached to pause Israel's military offensive in Gaza and release dozens of hostages.

This will pause the fighting after 15 months of war and see the release of dozens of hostages held by the militants in the Gaza Strip and hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Rockets fired from Gaza and intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system over Israeli skies are seen from Gaza City, on May 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair, File) DOHA, Qatar — Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip,

President Joe Biden and his top diplomats, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had sought closure during his term.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said the U.S. wanted a ceasefire deal in Gaza and all remaining captives released before Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

The Biden administration called for a final push before the president leaves office, with many seeing the Trump inauguration as an unofficial deadline.

Only hours after a possible ceasefire deal was announced between Israel and Hamas, Khalil al Hayya, chairman of the terrorist organization, declared victory, contending that the mass murder of Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, would “forever be a source of pride for our people.”

For Hamas, armed struggle is looking like a dead end. Its future in Gaza now depends on the diplomacy of its civilian politburo.