Qatar and the United States are close to finalising a better defence cooperation agreement. This was stated by top US diplomat Marco Rubio on Tuesday after Israel attacked Hamas political leaders in Qatar last week, which received widespread criticism. The attack in Doha was particularly sensitive because Qatar is a close US ally and houses the largest US military base in the Middle East. Qatar has been hosting and helping with ceasefire talks alongside Egypt since the Gaza war began almost two years ago.

Rubio, who was travelling to Doha from Tel Aviv asked Qatar to continue its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war. He said there was “a very short window of time in which a deal could happen.”

While leaving Tel Aviv for Doha, Rubio said, “If any country in the world can help mediate it, Qatar is the one. They’re the ones that can do it.” Rubio also stated that “We have a close partnership with the Qataris. In fact, we have an enhanced defence cooperation agreement, which we’ve been working on, we’re on the verge of finalising” without providing more details.

Qatar called the Israeli attack “cowardly and treacherous” but said it would not stop it from playing its role as a mediator with Egypt and the United States.

During a visit in May, Trump had assured gas-rich Qatar that Washington would protect it if it were ever attacked. He said he was not informed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of time about Israel’s attack. Netanyahu threatened to attack Hamas leaders “wherever they are” during a press conference with Rubio on Monday as the leaders of Arab and Islamic states held a summit to support Qatar after Israel’s attack last week in the Gulf state.

Trump said he was not happy with Israel’s strike. He described it as a unilateral action that did not help US or Israeli interests. During a meeting with the Qatari prime minister in New York on Friday, he tried to reassure the Qataris that such attacks would not happen again.