Doha: Qatar has announced it will halt its efforts to mediate a ceasefire and hostage release between Hamas and Israel, unless both sides demonstrate "willingness and seriousness" to resume talks, according to a statement from its foreign ministry on Saturday.
The Gulf nation has been involved in months of unsuccessful diplomacy alongside the United States and Egypt, aimed at brokering peace between the two sides in Gaza. A withdrawal from this mediation role could make it even more challenging to reach a resolution.
Qatar’s foreign ministry also dismissed as inaccurate reports regarding the future of Hamas' political office in Doha. Reuters had quoted a U.S. official suggesting Washington had urged Qatar to expel the group, with Doha reportedly conveying this demand to Hamas.
An unnamed official indicated that Qatar had decided the Hamas office in Doha no longer served its purpose as mediation efforts were paused.
However, three Hamas officials, speaking anonymously, denied receiving any official notice from Qatar that their leaders were being asked to leave.
Qatar has hosted Hamas’ political leadership since 2012, under an agreement with the U.S., which helped facilitate peace talks.
The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israeli settlements, killing about 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages. In response, Israel’s military offensive has destroyed much of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of approximately 43,500 Palestinians.
Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed that it had warned both sides ten days ago during the final attempts to negotiate a ceasefire that it would halt its mediation efforts if no deal was reached. Qatar stated it would resume these efforts only when both parties showed genuine commitment to ending the ongoing violence.
Neither Hamas nor Israel issued an official response to Qatar’s announcement.
The most recent talks, held in mid-October, collapsed when Hamas rejected a short-term ceasefire proposal. Israel also dismissed some of the proposed longer-term truces. Disagreements primarily revolved around the future of Hamas in Gaza and Israel’s military presence in the region.
Regarding Hamas’ office in Doha, a U.S. official confirmed that Washington had expressed discontent with the group’s presence in Qatar following Hamas' refusal to accept the ceasefire proposal in October. However, Qatar has not set a timeline for the closure of the office or the departure of Hamas leaders.
Qatar emphasized that its hosting of the Hamas office had allowed for communication between the warring sides, playing a key role in securing a brief ceasefire and some hostage exchanges last year.
Earlier in April, Qatar had reconsidered the role of Hamas in the country, prompting some members to relocate to Turkey. However, after two weeks, both the U.S. and Israel requested that Qatar allow these officials to return, citing concerns that negotiations were ineffective while Hamas leaders were in Turkey.
As a designated major non-NATO ally of the U.S., Qatar has long positioned itself as a mediator between Western powers and regional adversaries. The country hosts the largest U.S. airbase in the Middle East, while also permitting offices for groups like Hamas and Afghanistan's Taliban. Qatar was instrumental in facilitating a U.S.-Iran prisoner exchange last year.
It remains unclear how many Hamas officials are currently based in Doha, but the group’s leadership includes figures such as deputy leader Khalil al-Hayya and former political chief Khaled Meshaal. The recent killing of Yahya Sinwar in Gaza by Israeli forces has raised the profile of potential successors within the group’s leadership.