Qatar pulls out of mediating role between Israel and Hamas negotiations

Qatar will stop trying to mediate a Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas and Israel show a “sincere willingness” to return to the negotiating table, an official briefed on the matter told Reuters on Saturday.

The Gulf country has also concluded that Hamas’ political office in Doha “no longer serves its purpose,” the official added.

Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, has played a major role in rounds of so-far fruitless talks to broker a ceasefire to the year-long war in Gaza. The latest round of talks in mid-October failed to produce a deal, with Hamas rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal.

“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,” the official said, adding that Qatar had notified Hamas, Israel, and the US administration of its decision.

US SECRETARY of State Antony Blinken is greeted by Qatari Minister of State Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi, in Doha, this week. The time has come to reach a hostage deal under the terms laid out in the current negotiations, says the writer. (credit: KEVIN MOHATT/REUTERS)

Hamas unwilling to negotiate without an end to Gaza war

This comes after the US told Qatar that a Hamas presence in Doha was unacceptable. A senior US official confirmed international reports of this to Reuters on Friday.

“After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, its [Hamas’s] leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner. We made that clear to Qatar following Hamas’s rejection weeks ago of another hostage release proposal,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Qatar made its demand to Hamas leaders about 10 days ago, according to the official.

Hamas declined the most recent iteration of a ceasefire deal earlier this month, a short-term ceasefire proposal that was meant to have been a trust-building measure to allow mediating parties to build a channel of indirect communication between Israel and a new Hamas leadership.

According to earlier reporting by The Jerusalem Post, the terrorist group is unwilling to accept any iteration of a hostage deal until the war is fully ended in Gaza.

This is a developing story.

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Reuters contributed to this report.