Qatar has reportedly asked Hamas leaders to leave the country following pressure from the United States, as per a Financial Times report. This request, allegedly made about 10 days ago, followed intense discussions with US officials who, according to Reuters, conveyed that Hamas’s presence in Doha had become “unacceptable” after the group rejected a recent truce and hostage agreement proposal.
Qatar has hosted Hamas’s political office in Doha since 2012, facilitating US and regional communication channels with the Palestinian group. Recent reports indicate that Qatar, alongside the US and Egypt, had attempted to negotiate a ceasefire for the ongoing conflict in Gaza, but Hamas rejected a short-term truce in October, leaving negotiations stalled.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly told Qatar and other Gulf officials that there could be “no more business as usual” with Hamas following the October 7 attack on southern Israel, in which Hamas killed 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 others. In response, the US urged Qatar to reassess Hamas’s status in the country.
Qatar’s foreign ministry has not responded to the reports, and it remains unclear if a deadline has been set for Hamas officials to leave. However, Hamas officials in Doha denied receiving instructions to leave, and Qatar maintains that it has supported diplomatic channels with the group for facilitating negotiations and humanitarian discussions.
In recent weeks, US legislators have criticized Qatar’s ties with Hamas, with 14 Republican senators requesting the Department of State to freeze assets of Hamas leaders in Qatar and seek extradition for senior officials. Meanwhile, Qatar has hinted at a readiness to review the group’s status within the country.