Qatar Confirms Hamas Leaders Depart Doha, Office Not Permanently Shut

Qatar’s government and a high-ranking Palestinian official have confirmed that Khalil al-Hayya, who is the most senior Hamas leader based outside Gaza, along with other principal members of its negotiating delegation, are no longer situated in Doha. The spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry stated that the Hamas office currently serves no purpose, as Qatar has paused its mediation endeavors concerning a Gaza ceasefire agreement. Nevertheless, the spokesman emphasized that the office has not been shut down permanently. The Palestinian official informed the BBC that Hamas negotiators have modified their regional presence and are maintaining secrecy regarding their whereabouts to prevent potential embarrassment for their host nations. However, the official indicated that Hayya was probably in Turkey, given his multiple visits to the country in the preceding two months. While the official also refuted claims that Qatar had formally requested Hamas’s departure, they noted that the Gulf nation appeared to be strategically aligning itself to prevent any friction between President Joe Biden’s current administration and President-elect Donald Trump’s forthcoming administration. Since 2012, Qatar has provided a base for Hamas’s political bureau and has been instrumental in facilitating indirect discussions between the organization and Israel. Nevertheless, these recent occurrences imply an alteration in their dynamic. Earlier in the current month, Qatar declared a halt to its endeavors to mediate a Gaza ceasefire, stating that these efforts would recommence only “when the parties show willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war.” Yet, it rejected assertions that Hamas leaders had been instructed to depart. During a media briefing on Tuesday, Majed al-Ansari, the foreign ministry spokesman, confirmed that “the leaders of Hamas that are within the negotiating team are now not in Doha.” He further stated, “As you know, they move between different capitals. I don’t want to get into details of what that means.” He clarified, “But what I can tell you very clearly is that the office of Hamas in Doha was created for the sake of the negotiating process. Obviously, when there is no mediation process, the office itself doesn’t have any function.” He additionally emphasized that “a decision to close down the office permanently is a decision that you will hear about from us directly and shouldn’t be part of media speculation.” In a Telegram statement issued on Monday, Hamas reported that internal sources within the group had “denied what some Israeli media outlets had circulated about Hamas leadership leaving Qatar to Turkey.” This statement came after a comparable denial from the Turkish foreign ministry, where sources informed the Turkish news channel NTV: “Hamas political bureau members visit Turkey from time to time. Allegations that the Hamas political bureau moved to Turkey do not reflect the truth.” Concurrently, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated at a Washington news conference that he was “not in a position to dispute the reports” concerning the location of Hamas’s leadership. He added, “What I would say on behalf of the United States is that we don’t believe the leaders of a vicious terrorist organisation should be living comfortably anywhere, and that certainly includes in a major city of one of our key allies and partners.” He further remarked, “A number of these individuals are under US indictment, have been under US indictment for some time, and we believe that they should be turned over to the United States.” Miller also refrained from speculating on potential repercussions for Turkey, a Nato ally, should it host the Hamas leaders. Turkey does not classify Hamas as a terrorist organization, a stance that differs from Israel, the US, the UK, and numerous other Western nations, and members of the group frequently visit the country. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has publicly supported Hamas as a resistance movement and has been a strong critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Israel initiated a campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas following the group’s unparalleled assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, an event that resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 individuals being abducted. Since that date, over 43,970 individuals have died in Gaza, as reported by the territory’s health ministry, which is administered by Hamas. On Tuesday, during a visit to Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his resolve to prevent Hamas from having any governance role in Gaza once the conflict concludes. He also renewed his pledge to guarantee the safe return of all hostages and reiterated his offer of $5 million (£3.95 million) to anyone who facilitates the handover of a hostage to Israel. Israel reports that 97 hostages remain captive, with 34 of these presumed deceased. Additionally, four other hostages, abducted prior to October 7, are believed to include two fatalities. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. 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