Qatar says no justification to end Hamas presence in Doha while mediation ongoing

Qatar says there is no justification to end the presence of an office for Hamas in Doha while its mediation efforts continue in the war between Israel and the Palestinian terror group.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari adds in a press conference that Qatar remained committed to mediation, but repeats Doha’s assertion it’s reassessing its role in “frustration with attacks” on its efforts.

Ansari says the decision to re-evaluate those efforts was prompted by frustration with political attacks including from “ministers in Netanyahu’s government, who spoke negatively about the Qatari mediation.”

He adds: “They all know what the Qatari role is, its nature, and its details during the previous stage and they lied.”

It was reported that Hamas’s political chiefs are exploring moving their base of operations out of Qatar, as the Gulf state faces increasing pressure over its influence with the terror group in indirect hostage-for-truce negotiations with Israel.

Qatar, with the United States and Egypt, has been engaged in weeks of behind-the-scenes talks aiming to secure a deal that would see the release of hostages and a truce in Gaza.