Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff meet Qatari PM in Miami as Middle East diplomacy intensifies

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff sat down with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani in Miami this week, in what amounts to the highest-level gathering of mediators since the Gaza ceasefire began in October.

The meeting also included Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

What the meeting was actually about

The focus of the talks centered on phase two implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal. The Miami meeting was scheduled ahead of forthcoming talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former President Donald Trump.

Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, has been the administration’s point person on these discussions. His presence alongside Rubio, the nation’s top diplomat, elevates the stakes considerably.

Ceasefire delays and growing frustration

The ceasefire that took effect in October has been plagued by implementation problems. Both Israel and Hamas have been accused of dragging their feet on the terms they agreed to. Mediators from all three countries have expressed concerns about the pace of progress.

If Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey are sending different signals about what phase two should look like, that gives both Israel and Hamas room to play the mediators against each other. A coordinated front closes that gap.

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