Hamas has not received any notification that it is unwelcome in Doha, according to a report by the Qatari news source Al-Araby, which cited sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
Al-Araby claims that media reports, including those from The Times of Israel, have inaccurately portrayed the situation.
However, an Arab official informed The Times of Israel that the Al-Araby report is misleading, calling it a “smokescreen” set up by sources who oppose removing Hamas.
Senior Biden administration officials revealed to The Times of Israel that Qatar conveyed to Hamas over a week ago that it must close its diplomatic office in Doha.
Qatar has hosted Hamas leadership in Doha since 2012, when the organization moved from Damascus amid the Syrian conflict. At the time, both Democratic and Republican U.S. administrations encouraged Qatar to act as a potential liaison to the group.
After the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, the U.S. told Qatar that continuing normal diplomatic ties with Hamas would not be possible. Nonetheless, the administration initially held back from urging Qatar to shut the office, recognizing the importance of the diplomatic link for brokering a ceasefire and securing a hostage release.
A U.S. official explained to The Times of Israel that Hamas’s recent actions, including the execution of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five others in late August, as well as the group’s refusal of additional ceasefire proposals, prompted a reevaluation of its presence in Doha. This led the administration to determine that hosting Hamas was “no longer viable or acceptable.”
{Matzav.com}