Doha believes that the Hamas office in the country « no longer serves its purpose. »
Qatar will no longer work to mediate a ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel, according to a new report.
Reuters reported on Saturday that Doha believes that the Hamas office in the country « no longer serves its purpose », and that Israel and the Palestinian group have not demonstrated a « sincere willingness » to negotiate terms. The report described this decision as the « biggest setback » to efforts to get a deal done since the ongoing war started over a year ago.
This comes as Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, has emerged as a key player in recent efforts to secure a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza conflict, but diplomatic efforts have so far been unsuccessful. In the most recent talks, held in mid-October, a proposal for a temporary halt to hostilities was ultimately rejected by Hamas.
An official who spoke to Reuters spoke on Qatar’s stance on mediation, stating, « The Qataris have said since the start of the conflict that they can only mediate when both parties demonstrate a genuine interest in finding a resolution », adding that Qatar had notified Hamas, Israel and the U.
