Qatar will halt its attempts to broker a ceasefire agreement in Gaza until Hamas and Israel demonstrate "sincere readiness" to resume talks, a senior Qatari official stated today (Saturday) to Reuters.
Recently, Qatar informed senior Hamas officials that they must leave the country, after concluding that the political office Hamas maintains in Doha "no longer serves its purpose," according to the official, a move seen as a significant blow to the terrorist organization.
Alongside the United States and Egypt, Qatar has played a crucial role in multiple rounds of ceasefire negotiations regarding the conflict in Gaza. The most recent round of talks, held in mid-October, ended without an agreement, with Hamas rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal.
"The Qataris have stated since the beginning of the conflict that they can only mediate if both sides show a genuine interest in finding a resolution," the official told Reuters, adding that Qatar has notified Hamas, Israel, and the US of its decision.
The United States had informed Qatar several weeks ago that the continued presence of Hamas leadership in Doha was no longer acceptable, especially following the terrorist organization's rejection of the recent proposal for a ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement, a US official said on Friday. According to a CNN report today (Saturday), the final push for Qatar to agree to expel Hamas leaders from its territory came after the murder of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American citizen.
However, three Hamas sources cited by the Saudi channel Al Arabiya denied that Qatar had informed the terrorist organization's leadership that they are no longer welcome in the country.
