Qatar, one of the main negotiators for a possible ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, said it would suspend mediation efforts, officials said.
The move comes amid growing frustration over the lack of progress in the year-long war in Gaza and concerns about escalating conflict in the region, the Associated Press reported. However, the newspaper added that it was unclear whether the remaining leaders of Qatari-led Hamas would be asked to step down.
According to the Associated Press, Qatar could return to the negotiating table if Israel and Hamas show “serious political will” to reach an agreement, said an Egyptian official, another mediator along with the United States. said.
Qatar has explained to both sides that negotiations cannot continue if both sides refuse to seek an agreement “in good faith,” the official said.
“As a result, Hamas's political office no longer serves its purpose” in Qatar, the news agency said, adding another diplomatic source familiar with the matter said. But that doesn't mean they had to leave.
U.S. officials said the Biden administration is in talks with Qatar about a Hamas office in Doha after the militant group rejected a previous ceasefire offer and notified the office it was no longer useful. The official said the Hamas delegation was informed of the decision 10 days ago, according to the Associated Press.
The news comes just weeks after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war, was killed in a Gaza attack late last month. After his death, it is unclear when or if ceasefire negotiations will continue.
Talks so far have collapsed with some officials accusing Sinwar of sabotage, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also criticized him for moving the goalposts to keep the military in control of key areas of the Gaza Strip. exposed to
Prime Minister Netanyahu also called for the return of the more than 100 hostages remaining in Gaza before a deal is agreed. More than 250 people were taken prisoner by the extremist group at the start of the war.
More than 44,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the conflict, according to local health authorities, but the numbers do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
