Qatar said it’s stepping back from efforts to mediate between Israel and Hamas in pursuit of a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Gulf state told the parties 10 days ago that it would “stall” mediation efforts if an agreement wasn’t reached in the latest round. But Qatar said it would resume talks “when the parties show their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war and the ongoing suffering of civilians,” according to a statement on Saturday from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Qatar, where senior Hamas leaders reside, has been the primary interlocutor between the militant group and the Jewish state. Without a genuine interest in finding a resolution to the 13-month-old conflict in Gaza, Qatar assessed that it can no longer constructively contribute to the process, according to a person briefed on the matter.
The months-long mediation efforts attempted by the Gulf state have become more about political optics orchestrated by each side at Qatar’s expense than an attempt to secure peace, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive talks.
The person said Qatar notified Israel, Hamas and the U.S. administration of its decision and that none of the parties had advance notice.
Separately, a person in the U.S. administration said the presence of Hamas in Doha was no longer acceptable given its repeated refusal to release even a small number of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, including following recent meetings in Cairo.
The Qatar statement denied that the nation was shutting down Hamas’ office there, saying its goal is to be a “channel of communication between the concerned parties, and this channel has contributed to achieving a ceasefire in previous stages.”
Qatar played an invaluable role in helping to secure the release late last year of nearly 200 hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel by Hamas, the person said. Hundreds of Palestinian women and children held as prisoners by Israel were also released at the time.
Hamas is considered a terrorist group by the U.S. and the European Union.