Three Qatari diplomats killed in Egypt road accident ahead of Gaza peace summit

CAIRO: Three Qatari diplomats were killed and two injured in a car crash on Sunday near the Egyptian town of Sharm El Sheikh, according to the Gulf state's embassy.

Diplomats and official delegations had descended on the Red Sea resort town in recent days to negotiate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Egyptian state-linked media Al Qahera News said five Qataris and an Egyptian driver were in the vehicle when it crashed due to a loss of control of the steering wheel.

The Qatari embassy in Cairo expressed "deep sorrow and grief" over the three diplomats' deaths.

"The deceased and injured will be transferred to Doha on a Qatari plane today," it said in a statement. "The two injured are currently receiving the necessary medical care at Sharm El Sheikh International Hospital."

Qatar, alongside fellow mediators Egypt and the United States, has been involved in months of talks leading to the Gaza ceasefire, which Israel said came into effect at 0900 GMT on Friday.

Sharm El Sheikh will also host a peace summit starting on Monday chaired by US President Donald Trump and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Al Sissi. The meeting is expected to involve participants from more than 20 countries with the aim of ending war on the Gaza Strip.