U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE from May 13 to16, the White House confirmed.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. D.C., on Tuesday amid ongoing mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire and a captives release deal between Hamas and Israel.

In a statement, Qatar’s foreign ministry said the discussions between both officials dealt with Doha and Washington’s relations in addition to regional developments, with special focus on the Gaza Strip, Syria, and Lebanon.

The meeting also touched on the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran, with Sheikh Mohammed reaffirming Qatar’s support “for diplomacy and dialogue in resolving all outstanding issues” between both countries.

The statement came after a second round of talks took place in Rome on Saturday with Oman’s mediation, during which Washington and Tehran agreed to proceed with the next phase of the negotiations.

Qatar repeatedly expressed its support for the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). 

Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal during his previous administration in 2018, imposing crippling sanctions on Iran and increasing tensions with the country.

Meanwhile, the White House confirmed on Tuesday that Trump will embark on his first regional tour since returning to office from May 13 to 16, which will include stops in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Ongoing Hamas-Israel mediation

Sheikh Mohammed’s visit to the U.S. came as Israel continued its brutal bombardment of the Gaza Strip after resuming the genocidal war on March 18. 

Israel’s move effectively ended the ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States on January 15, following over a year of stalled negotiations.

Gaza’s health ministry says Israel has killed at least 61,700 Palestinians since the beginning of the genocide on October 7, 2023, with the figure believed to be higher with thousands still trapped under the rubble.

Qatar’s top official told Al Jazeera in Washington that the mediators have continued their efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip while calling out Israel’s latest acts.

“Israel’s recent behaviour shows it doesn’t care about the deal,” Sheikh Mohammed told Al Jazeera.

The truce deal was initially split into three phases, each lasting 42 days, in an effort to reach a comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. 

The first phase came into effect on January 19 and ended on March 1, with Israel violating the deal on numerous occasions before relaunching its assaults. 

Israel has since insisted on Hamas releasing at least 10 additional captives while refusing to completely halt the brutal war. This is despite Hamas fulfilling the terms of the first phase of the ceasefire deal by releasing 33 captives.

Lifting sanctions on Syria

The lifting of sanctions imposed during the era of the ousted Bashar Al-Assad regime was among the key issues discussed between the Qatari and U.S. officials. 

“It is very important to lift sanctions on Syria so that its government can function,” Sheikh Mohammed told Al Jazeera, noting there was an “openness” from the U.S. side during their meeting.

Similar discussions took place on the same day between Qatar’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, in Washington.

“They also discussed Qatar’s continued engagement with the Syrian interim authorities to provide stability and assistance to the Syrian people,” Tammy Bruce, U.S. State Department spokesperson, said in a statement.

Qatar has played a crucial role in supporting Syria following the Assad regime’s fall after maintaining its solid stance against it since its launch of deadly attacks on peaceful protests in 2011.

On March 13, Syria commended Qatar’s new initiative to alleviate its severe power shortage by supplying 400 megawatts of electricity daily to the Deir Ali power plant through Jordan.