The United States has called on Qatar to close Hamas’s political offices in Doha, and Gulf states have agreed, officials said Friday, after the terror group’s recent rejection of an agreement to release Israeli hostages. did.
“Having rejected repeated offers to release the hostages, their leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of America’s partners,” Biden administration official Harris said, according to Reuters.
“We made this clear to Qatar after Hamas rejected another offer to release the hostages a few weeks ago,” the official added.
The oil-rich Gulf state has been hosting political leaders of Palestinian terrorist organizations since 2012 and broke the news to them about 10 days ago that they were no longer welcome in Doha, U.S. officials said.
Qatar, a major ally of the United States in the region, has been involved in ceasefire and hostage negotiations between Hamas, the United States, and Egypt since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, in which Hamas massacred and kidnapped 1,200 people. It has become a place for 250 people, including several Americans.
The call to expel Hamas from Qatar came after negotiations in mid-October failed to result in an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would lead to the release of the hostages.
In the latest round of talks, Hamas reportedly rejected an agreement that would lead to a short-term ceasefire like the one brokered in November 2023. The agreement halted fighting for seven days and resulted in the capture of about 70 Hamas hostages. Freed.
According to Reuters, Washington and Doha are in close contact over the appropriate time to shut down Hamas’ political operations.
Following the October 7 attack, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that he had made it clear in “every conversation we have had with Arab leaders that we can no longer do business as usual with Hamas.”
In response, Qatar reportedly told top US diplomats that it was prepared to reconsider Hamas’s presence in the country.
Some US lawmakers are furious at the “hospitality” the Qatari government has shown Hamas.
Republican leaders on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee argued Friday that it is long past time for the Harris-Biden administration to force Qatar to freeze Hamas’ assets in the country and hand over the terrorist group’s top leader in Doha. .
In a letter to Blinken, Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) called on the Harris-Biden administration to “respond to Hamas’s remaining leadership. “We must act quickly to destroy and defeat the organization.” and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Wicker and Risch said of allowing Hamas leaders to negotiate from the small Gulf state, “Doha-based Hamas leaders have exploited this arrangement and have given They are using their political freedom to oppose ceasefire negotiations in the international media,” said the Iranian host. He also travels overseas with Hamas’s Doha headquarters staff. ”
The White House and State Department did not respond to The Post’s requests for comment Friday.
