During his meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, stressed the importance of making efforts to reduce the escalation in the Palestinian territories and opening safe corridors in the Gaza Strip for relief and humanitarian efforts.

Sheikh Tamim also stressed the importance of violence not spreading regionally, and stressed Doha's position of condemning the targeting of civilians.

In turn, Blinken said that during his meeting with the Emir of Qatar, he expressed his “appreciation for Doha’s efforts to secure the return of the hostages.”

Blinken arrived in Doha earlier today, Friday, as part of a regional tour in the region coinciding with the escalation in the Palestinian territories.