Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, has announced that the political leadership of Hamas will continue to reside in Doha as long as their presence benefits efforts aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. This decision comes amidst Qatar’s ongoing reassessment of its mediation role, which has been influenced by criticism from Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Qatar has been hosting the political leadership of Hamas since 2012 with the approval of the US. For several weeks, both countries have engaged in secret negotiations regarding a potential truce in Gaza and the exchange of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli jails for the release of Israeli hostages. However, last week, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani indicated that Qatar was reassessing its role after mediators, including the US and Egypt, had failed to bring about a ceasefire during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Ansari’s statement comes after rumors that Hamas would be ordered to leave Qatar. He clarified that Qatar is still evaluating its role as a mediator and that a determination regarding the presence of Hamas members in Doha will not be made until the reassessment is complete. The announcement also follows criticism from Israeli politicians, including Netanyahu, who have criticized Qatar’s mediation efforts, despite the country hosting the largest US military installation in the region.
Ansari stated on Tuesday that the political criticism, particularly from “ministers in Netanyahu’s government, who spoke negatively about the Qatari mediation,” prompted their decision to reexamine their efforts. “They all know what the Qatari role is, its nature, and its details during the previous stage, and they lied,” he added.
Qatar’s successful mediation efforts resulted in the only break in the Gaza War so far, a week-long truce in November that secured the release of several Israeli and foreign hostages. The conflict erupted after Hamas launched an unprecedented onslaught on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,170 deaths, predominantly civilians. In response, Israel launched a military offensive against Hamas, resulting in the deaths of 34,183 individuals in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave, with women and children constituting the majority of the casualties.
On October 7, a Palestinian group attacked Israel and seized over 250 Israeli and foreign hostages. During the week-long truce in November, many of the captives were released. According to Israel, 129 hostages remain in Gaza, 34 of whom the IDF claims are deceased.
