Qatar has allegedly agreed to expel Hamas officials from Doha in response to a direct request from the United States, according to CNN.
U.S. officials informed their Qatari counterparts roughly two weeks ago that they “must stop giving Hamas refuge in their capital,” where the militant group’s top leaders have long sought refuge.
Qatar is said to have agreed to expel the group, notifying Hamas leaders about a week ago that they must leave the country.
However, Hamas officials dismissed the reports of their expulsion as “baseless” and a “pressure tactic.” They claimed similar rumors had circulated previously without evidence to back them up.
Despite this denial, the U.S. had long pressured Qatar to use the threat of expulsion as leverage in talks with Hamas. Qatar’s role as a mediator remained significant, hosting key negotiations due to its relationship with Hamas leaders, many of whom are based in Doha.
The U.S. had hoped that Qatar’s influence could help bring about a halt to the violence, but the persistent deadlock on hostages and ceasefire terms led to this unprecedented demand.
While American rhetoric on the ceasefire blames Hamas for the deadlock, analysts argue that Israel is actively obstructing peace talks and recklessly escalating the war for political gain.