Qatar will stop trying to mediate a Gaza cease-fire deal until Hamas and Israel "demonstrate a sincere willingness to return to the negotiating table," an official briefed on the matter told Reuters on Saturday.
The Gulf country has also concluded that Hamas' political office in Doha "no longer serves its purpose," the official added.
The move marks the biggest setback in efforts to reach a cease-fire since Hamas triggered the Gaza war by attacking Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
"The Qataris have said since the start of the conflict that they can only mediate when both parties demonstrate a genuine interest in finding a resolution," the official said, adding that Qatar had notified Hamas, Israel and the U.S. administration of its decision.
Israeli officials welcomed Qatar's decision to expel Hamas leaders. “Hamas is a murderous terrorist organization that should be pursued worldwide, not offered sanctuary in any country," a senior Israeli official said, adding that Qatar’s expulsion of Hamas leaders logically diminishes its role as mediator. “Once they expel Hamas leaders, there is no further advantage in Qatar’s mediation.”
The move comes just a day after a Reuters report indicating that Qatar relayed a message to Hamas leaders at the request of the U.S. last week, warning that the presence of the organization in Doha "should no longer be welcome," according to a senior U.S. official.
U.S. and Qatari officials told CNN that Doha has effectively agreed in recent weeks to the American demand to remove Hamas from its territory due to prolonged, unsuccessful efforts to secure a hostage exchange agreement with the group. This development comes 400 days into the war and after the October 7 massacre, marking a prolonged period of unsuccessful negotiations.
Earlier this week, Israeli officials expressed deep pessimism about the possibility of a hostage deal. Hamas reportedly informed mediators that it would not compromise on any agreement that fell short of a permanent cease-fire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, rejecting incremental proposals for smaller-scale exchanges.
"Truth must be told, there is no sliver of a deal. The question is whether now we must save the surviving hostages and end the war in Gaza," said officials familiar with the negotiations. "We must face facts. The big question is whether the time has come to save the remaining hostages and end the war in Gaza. That is the entire discussion behind the scenes: there will be no deal without convergence toward ending the war in Gaza.”
Israeli officials also believe there could be “renewed momentum” for a deal following the U.S. elections. Sources indicated that dialogue with mediators is ongoing, primarily to assess whether Hamas may shift its stance.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set an offer of millions of dollars for each hostage released, with officials working on broadcasting the proposal across various platforms. The offer aims to incentivize those holding hostages to facilitate their release, with a reward of $5 million per hostage and safe passage to a third country for those who agree.
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