The Qatari government has decided to close Hamas’s political office in Doha due to a lack of good faith in the Israel-Gaza ceasefire talks. Qatar believes that the negotiations have turned into a political game, with both parties not negotiating sincerely. As a result, Qatar has informed the US and Israel that it will no longer mediate the talks.
This decision comes as a major setback to the efforts to end the conflict in Gaza, which have been unsuccessful so far. However, Qatar has made it clear that it is willing to resume mediation if both sides show a genuine willingness to reach a deal. The Qatari government believes that the warring parties are more focused on political optics rather than genuine security concerns.
Despite reports of the closure of the political office and Qatar’s retreat from its mediation role, Hamas members living in Qatar have not been asked to leave yet. It is unlikely that senior Hamas leaders will be deported or extradited in the immediate future. This is not the first time Qatar has warned about not hosting dead-end talks indefinitely.
In the past, Qatar had briefly asked Hamas commanders to leave the country but later brought them back at the request of Israel and the US government to intensify negotiations. The Hamas office in Doha has been a key channel of communication with the group for over a decade, especially during ceasefire talks and hostage releases.
The US government has not commented publicly on the closure of the Hamas office in Qatar. Qatar has assured the US that it is willing to resume its mediation role when both sides are ready to return to the negotiating table sincerely. Qatar, being a close US ally, has hosted a major military base and has a history of mediating peace talks.
Hamas leaders have been preparing to leave Doha for many months, with Turkey and Iraq being suggested as possible alternatives. If Hamas is pushed out of Qatar, it could hinder engagement with more compromising Hamas figures and allow hostile states like Iran to increase their influence over the group.
As the Biden administration prepares to make a final effort to end the Israeli assaults in Gaza and Lebanon before handing over power to Donald Trump, there is no immediate sign of a breakthrough in the conflict. The closure of the Hamas office in Qatar is a significant development in the ongoing peace talks, and its implications remain to be seen.
