In a significant turn of events, Qatar has hit the pause button on its mediating efforts to facilitate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The announcement, made on Saturday, comes as talks between the two sides run into a brick wall, with both reluctant to compromise.
“A heads-up was given 10 days prior, warning both parties that Qatar would pump the brakes if an agreement wasn’t in sight,” remarked Majed Al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, in his Saturday statement.
The detailed disclosure marked the end of Qatar’s involvement in the negotiations—a role it had been central to for over a year. Despite multiple starts and stops, the quest for a breakthrough ceasefire, high on President Joe Biden’s docket, remains stuck in neutral.
Adding a twist to the tale, Doha has decided to shutter Hamas’ political office in its capital. This decision comes from a diplomat with insider knowledge, who spilled the beans to CNN.
“The call to suspend the offices was made about a week back. The involved parties aren’t playing fair,” the diplomat revealed. “The doors will stay shut unless meaningful talks are rekindled.”
Sources across the Atlantic and the desert sands informed CNN that Qatar’s decision to send Hamas packing followed a nudge from Uncle Sam. But let’s set the record straight: a diplomatic source insisted this was a solo flight, not a result of US prodding.
Closing the doors on Hamas might cause their officials to pack their bags and leave Qatar. No hard deadlines loom, though, said the diplomat in the know.
When CNN reached out to the White House National Security Council for their two cents, their response was crickets. They deferred to the remarks of a senior administration official from the previous Friday.
“Hamas leadership has thumbed its nose at numerous offers for hostage release, making them persona non grata across American partner capitals,” a senior insider noted.
“Qatar’s invaluable mediation helped free nearly 200 hostages last year. Yet, after Hamas refused to budge in talks, including the latest Cairo meet-ups, their presence in Doha lost its welcome,” informed the official.
Qatari spokesperson Al-Ansari took aim at what he called “skewed” media narratives in his latest official word.
On the flip side, a Hamas figure dismissed reports of their eviction from Doha as “hogwash” and “mere pressure tactics” during a chat with CNN earlier.
In the ongoing saga of conflict and captives, US authorities have leaned on Qatar to consider banishing Hamas as a negotiation tactic. The idea gained serious traction following the recent demise of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American hostage, and Hamas’ rebuff of yet another ceasefire proposal.
Spectators suggest that the Hamas office might greenlight operations again if both parties pledge sincere involvement in peace talks aimed at truly ending the strife, according to a diplomatic insider.
April saw Doha perform a similar act by temporarily closing the office. As Hamas officials took a detour to Turkey, the Biden White House and Israel nudged Doha into bringing them back, reported the diplomat to CNN.
Insights from CNN correspondents Ibrahim Dahman, Kylie Atwood, and Jennifer Hansler enriched this account.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
