Qatar confirms it’s halting mediator role, claims reports on Hamas office closure are ‘inaccurate’

Qatar officially confirms that it has informed Israel and Hamas of its decision to halt its mediation efforts for a ceasefire and hostage release deal, but frames the decision as reversible if the parties demonstrate willingness to reengage.

Yesterday, the Biden administration revealed that it had asked Qatar to close Hamas’s diplomatic office in Doha and expel officials from the terror group based there, pointing to its August execution of hostages and subsequent rejection of ceasefire proposals.

Qatar didn’t immediately comment on the US revelation, but a diplomat familiar with the matter — who wasn’t from the US but spoke on condition of anonymity — confirmed to The Times of Israel that Qatar had indeed informed Hamas at the end of October that the terror group’s officials would have to leave Doha because it was ceasing its mediating role.

However, the diplomat indicated that Qatar’s decision had nothing to do with US pressure and was taken solely due to frustration with Israel and Hamas’s unwillingness to negotiate in good faith.

As media reports regarding Doha’s decision began to pile up, the Qatari foreign ministry weighs in on the matter publicly for the first time.

“The State of Qatar notified the parties 10 days ago during the last attempts to reach an agreement, that it would stall its efforts to mediate between Hamas and Israel if an agreement was not reached in that round,” the statement says.

However, the ministry stresses that “Qatar will resume those efforts with its partners when the parties show their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war and the ongoing suffering of civilians caused by catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Strip, [and will] be at the forefront of making every good effort to end the war and return the hostages and prisoners.”

The foreign ministry spokesperson makes a point of claiming that “media reports” on the topic and those specifically on Qatar’s decision to close the Hamas office in Doha are “inaccurate.”

However, the spokesperson doesn’t specify which reports he is referring to and doesn’t explicitly deny the decision to close the Hamas bureau, which he says has served as a useful tool in securing a previous hostage deal last November.