MUNICH: Talks between Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza were "not really very promising" in recent days, the prime minister of Qatar, a key mediator for the negotiations, said Saturday.

"I believe that we can see a deal happening very soon. Yet the pattern in the last few days is not really very promising," Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said at the Munich Security Conference.

Mandatory path to two-state solution key to stability in Israel and Palestinian territory: Qatar PM

"We will always remain optimistic, we will always remain pushing," he added, speaking in English.