Blinken meets with Qatar's Emir in Doha during Middle East crisis tour

Qatar's Emir Al-Thani met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday in Doha. Blinken was expected to press for what he called an essential truce agreement as the war with Hamas entered its fifth month.The diplomat was due to meet Israel's leaders as part of a Middle East crisis tour after earlier stops in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar.
Qatar, which mediated a temporary ceasefire earlier in the conflict, said Hamas had given a response to a new proposed deal to pause the fighting. Blinken said Hamas's reply had been shared with Israel and he would discuss it there on Wednesday.