According to a source familiar with the matter, Qatar is prepared to expel Hamas leaders from Doha if the US requests it, and such a request may be made soon. This comes as negotiations for a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas appear to be reaching a critical point.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has already told Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Thani that Doha should expel Hamas leaders if the terror group continues to reject hostage deal proposals.
The US has blamed Hamas for refusing to accept previous offers and says the group is the only obstacle to a deal that would see dozens of vulnerable Israeli hostages released in exchange for an immediate ceasefire of at least six weeks. A Hamas delegation recently arrived in Cairo to respond to the latest hostage deal proposal crafted by Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators and greenlit by Israel.
U.S. Demands Qatar to Expel Hamas Leaders (Credits: Haaretz)
While an Israeli official said Hamas is not expected to reject the offer outright, the US is growing impatient with the group’s refusal to accept previous deals. If Hamas does not accept the latest offer, the US may formally ask Qatar to expel the terror group’s leaders. This would be a massive development, as Qatar has hosted Hamas’s politburo leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, since 2012.
Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had previously proposed expelling Hamas leaders from Doha during a meeting with Blinken in October. The proposal was made in a roundabout way, with the emir expressing horror over Hamas’s October 7 attack and asking if it was time for the US to ask Qatar to expel the group’s leaders.
The US has been pushing for Qatar to use its contacts with Hamas to mediate a hostage deal, and Blinken has clarified that it would not be “business as usual” for Hamas in Qatar once the conflict concludes.
However, even if Hamas leaders were to be expelled, it is unclear what the impact would be, as those hosted in Doha have spent most of their time since October 7 in Turkey, where their families reside.
Turkey has also come under fire for hosting Hamas officials, and while Turkish authorities have periodically ordered some members to leave the country, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly expressed support for the terror group.
US pushes Qatar to expel Hamas leadership (Credits: The Times of Israel)
Qatar has rebuffed frequent criticism of its mediation efforts from Israel, including from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and has said there are no plans to end the presence of an office for Hamas in Doha while mediation efforts continue.
The situation is complicated, with Qatar having a long history of hosting Hamas leaders and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, which has been criticized for strengthening Hamas at the expense of the more moderate Palestinian Authority.
The war between Israel and Hamas began with the shock Hamas assault on October 7, which killed over 1,200 people and led to the capture of 252 hostages. Since then, Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas and end the terror group’s rule of Gaza, launching an aerial assault and ground offensive to achieve its goals and return the hostages.
