Qatar has told Hamas that it will no longer host its political office unless the militant group and Israel engage in constructive and meaningful talks.
The Gulf country will stop trying to mediate a ceasefire deal until Hamas and Israel “demonstrate a sincere willingness to return to the negotiating table with the objective of putting an end to the war and the suffering of civilians”, a diplomatic source briefed on the matter said.
The Hamas political office in Doha “no longer serves its purpose”, the source added.
Qatar has served as a mediator between the two sides since the conflict began last October after Hamas’s attacks on Israel, which prompted Israel to respond in Gaza.
It was involved in conversations that led to a temporary ceasefire last year and the release of some hostages taken by Hamas.
“The Qataris took this decision after both sides repeatedly refused to participate in the negotiations except on their conditions without showing willingness to engage constructively,” the source said.
“The Qataris have concluded that there is insufficient willingness from either side, with the mediation efforts becoming more about politics and elections rather than a serious attempt to secure peace.”
For this reason, the source said, Qatar has informed both Israel and Hamas it cannot continue to mediate.
The latest round of talks last month failed to secure a deal, with Hamas rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal.
Reputational risk no longer worth it for Qatar
Qatar had taken a lot of heat for its association with Hamas but stuck it out in the hope it could help broker a ceasefire deal with Israel.
Doha was regularly the venue for talks and Qatar’s leaders invested considerable time trying to bring Israel and Hamas to an agreement.
Although some accused Qatar of harbouring terrorists, it suited the US, and Israel, to have the Hamas political leadership in a friendly country.
There was some success – a seven-day truce in November 2023 which saw the release of more than 100 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
But further ceasefire attempts have repeatedly failed, Hamas’s leadership has been steadily killed off one by one, and so the reputational cost of hosting the group was deemed no longer worth it.
Hamas was only in Qatar with the approval of the United States, and it’s now been asked to leave at the request of Washington. It is a significant shift in policy from the Gulf state.
But Qatari officials have also lost patience, pointedly blaming both sides for the failure to reach a deal.
In a message also aimed at Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, a diplomatic source briefed on the matter told Sky News both Israel and Hamas “refused to participate in the negotiations except on their conditions, without showing willingness to engage constructively”.
Hamas will likely relocate to Turkey (where they already have a presence) or Iran, although there have been reports officials were recently in Algeria and Mauritania.
It will be seen as a huge blow to the hostage families in Israel, signifying that the sides have given up hope of securing a deal.
That isn’t necessarily the case – the eviction of Hamas from their cosy homes in Doha is partly a final attempt to pressure them into an agreement, but even if they do leave, Egypt could continue to play a mediating role.
That said, Hamas’s leadership in Gaza is in some disarray, the Biden administration is weak and in its final days, and the geo-politics of negotiating a deal if the group moves to Tehran will be incredibly complex.
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Hamas denied that it was leaving Qatar, calling such claims “baseless”.
“The relationship between Hamas and Qatar is a strong relationship based on respect, cooperation and coordination in what serves the Palestinian cause,” said Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas political bureau official.
The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the fighting began has risen to 43,552, the Hamas-run health ministry there said on Saturday.
When Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, it took around 250 hostages and killed 1,200 people. More than 90 of the hostages are still being held in Gaza.