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Earlier reports claimed Qatar had suspended mediation efforts with Israel and Hamas and the Hamas political office “no longer served its purpose”.
Qatar has played a leading role in trying to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. (Qatar’s MoFA)
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday denied withdrawing from mediation talks between Israel and Hamas over the ongoing Gaza conflict, saying the recent reports suggesting it had done so were not accurate. It also rejected reports that the Hamas political office in Qatar “no longer served its purpose” after an apparent fallout.
Dr Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said the country had notified the parties 10 days ago during their 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.
He also said Qatar will “resume those efforts with its partners when the parties show their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war and the ongoing suffering of civilians” caused by the 13-month-long war in the Gaza Strip.
What About Hamas’ Political Office In Qatar?
Al-Ansari told the Qatar News Agency (QNA) that Qatar “will not accept that mediation be a reason for blackmailing it, as we have witnessed manipulation since the collapse of the first pause and the women and children exchange deal, especially in retreating from obligations agreed upon through mediation, and exploiting the continuation of negotiations to justify the continuation of the war to serve narrow political purposes.”
He also said the media reports about the Hamas political office in Qatar were inaccurate and that it serves as a channel of communication between the concerned parties and has contributed to achieving a ceasefire in previous stages and maintaining calm in the Strip in exchange of hostages and prisoners.
Hamas has had a base in the Qatari capital since 2012, reportedly at the request of the Obama administration, BBC reported. Several reports indicated that Qatar had agreed with the US to tell Hamas to close its political office in Doha due to “a refusal to negotiate a deal in good faith”.
Qatar’s Role In Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks
The United States, Qatar and Egypt had been at the forefront of months-long and painstaking talks to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, without success, as the ongoing war in Gaza has claimed the lives of more than 43,000 Palestinians and became a geopolitical flashpoint.
On Saturday, officials claimed Qatar has decided to suspend its key mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel due to their unwillingness to commit to a ceasefire deal. A source with Egypt told the Associated Press that as a consequence, “the Hamas political office no longer serves its purpose” in Qatar.
US officials had earlier informed their Qatari counterparts about two weeks ago that they must stop giving Hamas refuge in their capital. After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, (Hamas) leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner. We made that clear to Qatar following Hamas’ rejection weeks ago of another hostage release proposal,” a US senior administration official said.
These talks come as the Israel-Hamas war continued with no end in sight. Three separate Israeli strikes killed at least 16 people, including women and children, in Gaza on Saturday, Palestinian medical officials said. Meanwhile, Israel announced the first delivery of humanitarian aid in weeks to hungry, devastated northern Gaza.
(with agency inputs)
