US President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of Egypt, Israel and Qatar Wednesday, the White House has said — his first publicly announced talks with them since a hostage deal was announced between Israel and Hamas, AFP reports.

The three leaders represent different camps, however, with Qatar hosting Hamas’s political office and acting as a major diplomatic conduit, Israel vowing to destroy the group and Egypt both having long cooperated in Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip while also calling for protection for Palestinian civilians in the most recent conflict.

All three conversations concerned “the deal to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its brutal assault against Israel on Oct 7 and the latest developments in the region,” the White House said.

Biden and Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani “committed to remain in close contact to ensure the deal is fully implemented,”, the White House said in a readout of the call.

“They reiterated the importance of protecting civilian lives, respecting international humanitarian law and increasing and sustaining humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza,” it said.