Israel Hamas denies expulsion from Qatar

The Islamist Hamas from the Gaza Strip has denied media reports that its representatives have been asked to leave the country by the Gulf emirate of Qatar. Members of Hamas in Doha told the German Press Agency that they had received no such notification. Media such as the "Times of Israel" and the "Financial Times" had previously reported, citing informed persons, that Qatar had asked Hamas to leave the country around ten days ago at the urgent request of the USA.

Hamas has reportedly maintained a political office in the Qatari capital Doha since 2012, as the USA had requested that a communication channel to the terrorist organization be maintained.

In an interview with dpa, Hamas representatives also rejected media reports that Qatar was withdrawing from its role as a mediator for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. They had not received any such information from the Qatari government either, it said.

The "Times of Israel" and international media, citing diplomatic sources, had reported that Doha was giving up its role as mediator in view of the "refusal of Israel and Hamas to negotiate in good faith". There was initially no official statement from Qatar on the reports about the possible expulsion of Hamas and the withdrawal from its role as mediator.

Like the USA and Egypt, Qatar has so far been one of the mediators in the indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on ending the Gaza war, which have been at a standstill for months.

Terrorists from Hamas and other extremist Palestinian organizations triggered the Gaza war with a massacre in Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip on 7 October 2023. More than 1,200 people were killed in the attack and around 250 others were taken hostage in Gaza.

SDA