Qatar terminates its capacity as a mediator between Israel and Hamas

Officials say Qatar has stopped acting as a peace broker in talks between Israel and Hamas to end the fighting and free the hostages.

It said it would get back to work when Israel and Hamas “show their willingness” to talk.

According to reports, senior US officials said that Washington would no longer permit Hamas leaders to visit Qatar, citing the Palestinian group’s rejection of new peace plans for Gaza.

Initial reports that Qatar had pulled out of mediation talks were “inaccurate,” and the country said that Hamas’s political office in Doha “no longer serves its purpose.”

“Qatar notified the parties 10 days ago, during the last attempts to reach an agreement, that it would stall its efforts to mediate between Hamas and Israel if an agreement was not reached in that round,” the Qatari foreign ministry said in a statement.

“Qatar will resume those efforts… when the parties show their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war.”

According to reports, the Obama government asked Hamas to set up a base in the capital of Qatar in 2012.

On Saturday, a number of news outlets said that Qatar and the US had decided that Hamas should close its political office in Doha because it “refused to negotiate a deal in good faith.”

The foreign minister refuted this, stating that the news was “not true.” Furthermore, Hamas leaders have denied the claims.

An important US partner in the area is the small but powerful Gulf state. Many difficult political talks have taken place there, including ones with Iran, the Taliban, and Russia. It is home to a major American air base.

The US, Egypt, and Qatar have all been heavily involved in the peace talks between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which have been ongoing for a year now. So far, these talks have not been successful.

However, it appears that the relationship is undergoing a transformation.

Following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Hamas organized a two-hour grief tent in Doha’s small hall. The government supervised and protected the recent three-day mourning for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, which contrasted sharply with this.

Since Hamas turned down a short-term peace offer at the most recent round of talks in mid-October, there was no agreement. This group has consistently expressed its desire to end the war and completely remove Israeli troops from Gaza.

“Media reports about the Hamas office in Doha are inaccurate,” the Qatari foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The main goal of the office in Qatar is to be a channel of communication… [which] has contributed to achieving a ceasefire in previous stages.”

There have also been reports that Israel rejects deals. Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant explained that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to reject a peace deal against the advice of his security chiefs stemmed from his recent dismissal.

By demanding that Hamas leave Qatar, Biden’s administration appears to be attempting to negotiate a peace agreement before the end of his term in January.

If forced to leave Doha, it’s unclear where Hamas would establish its political office. Some countries, like Iran, are important allies, but the killing of former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July shows that they might be in danger from Israel if they were to base there. Furthermore, their political options with the West would be significantly limited.