By Andrew Mills and Nidal al-Mughrabi
DOHA/CAIRO (Reuters) -Qatar has instructed Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel it would stall its efforts to mediate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage launch deal till they present “willingness and seriousness” to renew talks, its international ministry stated on Saturday.
The Gulf nation has been working alongside the US and Egypt for months on fruitless talks between the warring sides in Gaza and any disengagement from that course of might additional complicate efforts to achieve a deal.
The Qatari ministry additionally stated press studies on the way forward for the Hamas political workplace in Doha have been inaccurate with out specifying how. Reuters had on Friday quoted a U.S. official saying Washington had requested Qatar to expel the group and that Doha had handed this message on to Hamas.
An official briefed on the matter additionally stated on Saturday that Qatar had concluded that with its mediation efforts paused, Hamas’ political workplace there “no longer serves its purpose.”
However three Hamas officers talking off the report stated the group had not been knowledgeable by Qatar that its leaders have been now not welcome within the nation.
Qatar has hosted Hamas political leaders since 2012 as a part of a cope with the U.S., and the group’s presence there has facilitated the progress of talks.
The struggle erupted when Hamas gunmen attacked Israeli communities on Oct. 7 2023, killing round 1,200 folks and seizing one other 253 as hostages. Israel’s navy marketing campaign has levelled a lot of Gaza and killed round 43,500 Palestinians.
“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 the round,” Qatar’s international ministry stated.
“Qatar will resume those efforts with its partners when the parties show their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war.”
There was no official response from Hamas or Israel.
The most recent spherical of talks in mid-October failed to supply a deal, with Hamas rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal. Israel has beforehand rejected some proposals for longer truces. Disagreements have centred on the long-term way forward for Hamas and Israel’s presence in Gaza.
HAMAS IN QATAR
Washington had instructed Qatar that Hamas’ presence in Doha was now not acceptable within the weeks for the reason that group rejected the October proposal, a U.S. official stated on Friday.
Qatar has not set a deadline for Hamas’ political workplace to shut or for Hamas leaders to go away Qatar, the official briefed on the matter stated.
Qatar’s international ministry stated the Hamas workplace had been a channel of communication between the events in Gaza and stated it had contributed to a quick ceasefire and change of some hostages a 12 months in the past.
The official briefed on the matter pointed to a earlier episode in April when Qatar had reconsidered Hamas’ presence within the nation, main some Hamas officers to go away for Turkey.
“After two weeks, the Biden administration and the Israeli government asked Qatar to request their return,” the official stated, including that Washington has stated negotiations have been ineffective when the Hamas leaders have been in Turkey.
Qatar, designated as a serious non-NATO ally by Washington, has lengthy sought a task as a hyperlink between Western powers and their adversaries within the area.
The nation hosts the most important U.S. airbase within the Center East but in addition permits Hamas and Afghanistan’s Taliban to function places of work in Doha. It additionally helped negotiate a prisoner change between the U.S. and Iran final 12 months.
It’s unclear what number of Hamas officers reside in Doha, however they embrace a number of doable replacements for chief Yahya Sinwar, whom Israeli forces killed in Gaza final month.
They embrace Sinwar’s deputy Khalil al-Hayya, who has led ceasefire negotiations for the group, and Khaled Meshaal, extensively seen as Hamas’ diplomatic face.
The group’s earlier chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Iran in July nearly actually by Israel, was additionally primarily based in Doha. His physique was flown to Qatar for burial in early August.