Gaza conflict: Qatar withdraws as mediator

Qatar is withdrawing as a mediator from negotiations between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas over a ceasefire and the release of hostages. The Qataris have “informed both the Israelis and Hamas that they cannot continue to mediate as long as there is a refusal to negotiate an agreement in good faith,” diplomatic circles said. It is the worst setback to these efforts since the start of the war.

“As a result, the Hamas office no longer has a reason to exist,” it said, without providing further details as to whether the office in Doha would be closed. A Hamas official told AFP on Saturday that the Palestinian organization had not been asked to leave the Gulf emirate. “We have nothing to confirm or refute what was published by an unknown diplomatic source and we have not received any request to leave Qatar,” the Hamas official said.

According to Washington on Friday, the United States has told Qatar that Hamas’s presence in Doha is no longer acceptable after the Palestinian militant group rejected the latest proposal for a ceasefire and hostage agreement.

It also said that the Qataris had informed the US government of their willingness to resume mediation if both sides “show a sincere willingness to return to the negotiating table.”

Together with the USA and Egypt, Qatar had been mediating between Israel and Hamas since a single ceasefire in November last year. This lasted a week and enabled the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.

Since then there have been numerous rounds of negotiations, but no result has been achieved. Hamas and Israel accuse each other of blocking an agreement.

The war in the Gaza Strip was triggered by Hamas’ unprecedented major attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel then launched a massive military operation in the Gaza Strip.