Israel, Qatar, and US hold trilateral meeting on Gaza in New York

New York, New York - The US, Israel, and Qatar held a trilateral meeting in New York Sunday, a senior White House official told AFP, months after Israeli jets conducted an airstrike in Doha, unsuccessfully targeting Hamas leadership.

People walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings as the Cold Moon, the last supermoon of the year, rises over the Nuseirat camp for displaced Palestinians in the central Gaza Strip on December 4, 2025.
People walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings as the Cold Moon, the last supermoon of the year, rises over the Nuseirat camp for displaced Palestinians in the central Gaza Strip on December 4, 2025.  © Eyad BABA / AFP

The White House official confirmed that the meeting had taken place but did not provide any further details.

Two sources told Axios it was "the highest level meeting between the countries since the deal to end the war in Gaza, for which Qatar served as a key mediator."

Axios also reported White House envoy Steve Witkoff hosted the meeting, with Mossad spy chief David Barnea representing Israel and an unnamed senior Qatari official in attendance.

Joke of the Day for December 6, 2025: A Christmas cat jokes for Caturday
Joke of the Day Joke of the Day for December 6, 2025: A Christmas cat jokes for Caturday

Qatar, along with Egypt and the US, helped broker a comprehensive ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which remains delicate as both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of breaching its terms.

Israel has carried out near-daily attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire announcement.

On Saturday, Qatar and Egypt both called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of an international stabilization force to fully implement the fragile agreement to end the conflict in Gaza.

Speaking at a diplomatic conference in Doha, Qatari premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said "a ceasefire cannot be completed unless there is full withdrawal of the Israeli forces (and) there is stability back in Gaza."

Israel's Doha strike sparks outrage

Axios reported that the main focus of Sunday's meeting was largely "on the implementation of the Gaza peace agreement."

The Israeli strike on Doha on September 9 unsuccessfully targeted top Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayra and others in the Palestinian group.

The strike instead killed six people and sparked a wave of criticism, including a rebuke from US President Donald Trump.

Axios said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later called Al Thani from the White House "at Trump's urging, to apologize for the strike."

Cover photo: Eyad BABA / AFP

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