Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has released a statement on his call with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Al Jazeera reports.

“The secretary thanked the prime minister for his critical role in mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire that will end fighting in Gaza, bring the hostages home, and enable a surge in humanitarian assistance,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was quoted as saying.

Blinken also “expressed his gratitude for the prime minister’s support and wished him well on continued efforts to build lasting peace in the region”.