Trump, Qatari leadership to discuss Middle East peace during stopover

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani aboard his aircraft on Saturday during a brief stopover in the Gulf state, a White House official said.

The discussions will focus on the fragile ceasefire currently in place in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, brokered largely through Qatari mediation based on a peace plan proposed by Trump to end the two-year-long conflict.

“The Emir and the Prime Minister will board Air Force One during the technical stop in Qatar for a private discussion on the situation in Gaza and efforts to ensure the ceasefire holds,” the official confirmed.

The high-level meeting is scheduled to take place en route to Malaysia, the first destination on Trump’s multi-country tour of Asia.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, currently in Israel to reinforce support for the ceasefire that has held since October 10, will also join the onboard talks and accompany Trump on the remainder of the Asia tour, the official added.

Qatar has played a crucial role as a mediator in the region, maintaining lines of communication with both Hamas and Israel, and facilitating humanitarian aid and prisoner exchanges.

The White House has emphasized that Trump's diplomatic push aims to stabilize the situation and encourage broader regional dialogue amid ongoing tensions.