Qatar has ordered Hamas leaders to leave the country after pressure from the United States. The decision follows extensive diplomatic communications between Washington and Doha. Washington had pressurized Qatar to retract its support for Hamas after its refusal of recent proposals for a ceasefire and hostage exchange. Qatar delivered the message to Hamas leaders ten days ago, intimating its change of plans. The United States has told Qatar that it can “no longer accept” Hamas’ presence in Doha.
Repeated Rebuffs of Ceasefire
Recent attempts by the U.S, Qatar and Egypt have failed to get Hamas to the negotiating table. Hamas rebuffed a ceasefire offer in mid-October. This resulted in, a U.S. official said "After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, its leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner." On Friday fourteen of the Republican U.S. senators sent a letter to the Department of State urging Washington to immediately freeze the assets of Hamas officials residing in Qatar and demanded the extradition of several top Hamas leaders. They called Qatar to end its hospitality towards Hamas’s senior leadership.
Qatar's Mediation Role
Since 2012, Qatar has hosted Hamas’s political leadership to facilitate negotiations during conflicts with Israel. However, this role has recently faced criticism from U.S. lawmakers. Fourteen Republican senators have urged the State Department to sanction Hamas officials in Qatar, extradite them, and end Qatar’s “hospitality” towards the group. Yet, Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, defended Qatar’s stance, asserting that hosting Hamas leaders supports essential diplomatic efforts.
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