Key mediator Qatar urges Israel and Hamas to do more to reach a cease-fire deal

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A senior Qatari official has urged Israel and Hamas to show “more commitment and more seriousness” in cease-fire negotiations in interviews with Israeli media, as pressure builds to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire in the nearly seven- month-long war in Gaza. Qatar, which hosts Hamas’ headquarters in Doha, has been a key intermediary and was instrumental, along with the U.S. and Egypt, in helping negotiate a brief halt to the fighting in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages. But in a sign of frustration, Qatar this month said that it was reassessing its mediator role.