Qatar suspends role as mediator between Israel and Hamas
Qatar has paused its role as a mediator in the ceasefire and hostage release negotiations between Israel and Hamas, according to officials. The country stated that it would resume mediation efforts once both sides demonstrate a “willingness” to negotiate.
This decision follows reports that senior US officials claimed Washington would no longer tolerate the presence of Hamas representatives in Qatar, accusing the group of rejecting new proposals to end the Gaza conflict.
Qatar clarified that initial reports about its withdrawal from mediation and the closure of Hamas’s political office in Doha were inaccurate. It explained that 10 days ago, during the final attempt to reach an agreement, Qatar had informed the parties that it would halt mediation if no deal was reached. The Qatari foreign ministry emphasized that it would resume efforts once both sides show a serious commitment to ending the war.
Hamas has had a base in Doha since 2012, reportedly at the behest of the Obama administration. Recent reports indicated that Qatar and the US had agreed on asking Hamas to shut down its political office in Doha, but the Qatari government and Hamas both denied these claims.
As a key US ally in the region, Qatar has facilitated several delicate negotiations, including those with Iran, the Taliban, and Russia. Along with the US and Egypt, Qatar has been involved in numerous rounds of negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, although these efforts have thus far been unsuccessful.
There are signs of a shift in Qatar-Hamas relations. After the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a small mourning event was held in Doha, contrasting with the more official and secure mourning for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Additionally, the latest round of talks in mid-October failed when Hamas rejected a short-term ceasefire proposal, demanding a full end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
The Qatari foreign ministry statement said: “Media reports regarding the Hamas office in Doha is inaccurate.”
“The main goal of the office in Qatar is to be a channel of communication… [which] has contributed to achieving a ceasefire in previous stages.”
Israel has also been accused of rejecting deals. Days after being fired earlier this week, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of rejecting a peace deal against the advice of his security chiefs.
The call for Hamas to be expelled from Qatar appears to be an attempt by the outgoing Biden administration to force some sort of peace deal before the end of his term in January.
Were Hamas to be forced to leave Doha, it is unclear where they would base their political office. Key ally Iran would be an option, although the assassination of former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July suggests they may be at risk from Israel if based there. It would also not give them anything close to the same diplomatic channels to the West.
A more likely option would be Turkey. As a Nato member but also a Sunni majority state, it would give the group a base from which to operate in relative safety. Last April President Erdogan hosted then Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh and his delegation in Istanbul, where they talked about “what needs to be done to ensure adequate and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and a fair and lasting peace process in the region”.
The move would also most likely be welcomed by Ankara, which has often sought to position itself as a broker between east and west.
Key Hamas figures such as Osama Hamdan, Taher al-Nunu, and others frequently featured on news outlets have been staying in Istanbul for over a month.
Their extended presence in Turkey marks a departure from past visits, which were typically limited to brief stays.
It is thought the personal safety of Hamas leadership is now a major concern for the group, which saw two leaders killed in less than four months. As well as Haniyeh’s death in July, in October Israel killed Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the 7 October Hamas attack on southern Israel.
According to the European Council of Foreign Relations, “Hamas has adopted a temporary model of collective leadership to mitigate the effect of future Israeli assassinations”.
H A Hellyer, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), told the BBC that nowhere “will give them protection from Israeli assassination attempts in the same way that being in Doha, where America has its largest military base in the region, did”.
The latest move comes as US officials appear increasingly frustrated with the approach the Israeli government has taken to ending the war. In October, the US Secretaries of State and Defense said if Israel did not allow more humanitarian aid into the territory by 12 November, they would face unspecified policy “implications”.
Last weekend a number of UN officials warned the situation in northern Gaza was “apocalyptic”. On Saturday the independent Famine Review Committee said there was a “strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas”.
The relationship between President Joe Biden and Netanyahu has deteriorated over the course of the war in Gaza, with increasing pressure from Washington to improve the humanitarian situation for the Palestinians and find some sort of negotiated settlement.
But, according to Dr Hellyer, US attempts at negotiation have been fatally flawed.
“By setting red lines and allowing Netanyahu to cross them without consequence, the Biden administration effectively encouraged further impunity. I don’t think any of this will change in the next 10 weeks,” he said.
Any overtures have been repeatedly rejected by Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition, who will now also feel emboldened by the prospect of an incoming Donald Trump presidency.
While exactly what approach Trump will take to the region remains uncertain, he is thought to be more likely to allow Israel to act on its terms.
He has previously said Israel should “finish what they started” in Gaza. During his last term in the White House, he took a number of steps deemed highly favourable to Israel, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.
It has also been reported, however, that Trump has told Netanyahu that he wants to see an end to the fighting by the time he takes office.
Either way, it seems likely that the current US administration will have less influence over the government in Jerusalem.
They may therefore believe the best way to force some sort of deal is to apply pressure on Hamas. Whether it pays off may depend on whether Qatar, so long a reliable ally, decides to go along with it.
