In ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel, Qatar plays a key role as a mediator. The recent and contentious hostage-prisoner swap, which involves exchanging 30 convicted criminals for each Israeli hostage released, was reportedly imposed on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by President Trump through his envoy, Steve Witkoff. In 2023, Qatar’s state-owned investment authority purchased the Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan from Witkoff for $623 million, a transaction some observers have described as a bailout.