ISTANBUL

Washington and Doha are close to finalizing an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday.

“We have a close partnership with the Qataris,” Rubio told reporters before departing Tel Aviv for Doha. “In fact, we have an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, which we've been working on, and we're on the verge of finalizing.”

Speaking on Qatar’s role in mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Rubio said “we're going to ask Qatar to continue to do what they've done.”

His remarks came a day after an emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha which condemned and expressed solidarity with the Gulf country after last's week Israeli attack on Hamas negotiators in the Qatari capital.