Qatar says Israel 'did not abide' by Gaza truce deal

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said on Thursday that Israel had failed to respect January's ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

"As you know, we reached an agreement months ago, but unfortunately Israel did not abide by this agreement," said the ruler of Qatar, a key mediator of the deal.

Sheikh Tamim said Qatar would "strive to bridge perspectives in order to reach an agreement that ends the suffering of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza".

Putin recognised Qatar's "serious" mediation efforts and called deaths in the conflict "a tragedy".

"A long-term settlement can only be achieved on the basis of the UN resolution and first of all connected to the establishment of two states," he added.