In a stunning development that could reshape Middle East geopolitics, Hamas may soon find itself without a key base of operations. According to a senior US official, Qatar, the tiny but influential Gulf state, has been pressured to expel the Palestinian militant group’s leaders after more than a decade of hosting them.
The demand, reportedly relayed to Hamas by Qatari officials mere weeks ago, comes as ceasefire negotiations to end the catastrophic 13-month war in Gaza have reached an impasse. “After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, [Hamas] leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner,” the unnamed US source stated, underscoring the hardening stance against the group.
A Blow to Hamas, Boost for Hostility?
The potential closure of Hamas’s Doha offices threatens to kneecap the organization’s diplomatic and fundraising efforts. Qatar has long served as a crucial intermediary between Hamas and international actors, including in the current ceasefire talks. Critics warn that expelling Hamas could hinder engagement with pragmatic elements within the group and strengthen the hand of hostile states like Iran.
Hamas officials have vehemently denied receiving any ultimatums from their Qatari hosts, but insiders suggest that contingency plans have been in the works for months. Turkey and Iran have emerged as potential alternative bases, a concerning prospect for those who fear an even more radicalized Hamas.
No Deal in Sight as Gaza Bleeds
Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with no end to the conflict on the horizon. Ceasefire negotiations have repeatedly broken down over Hamas’s refusal to unconditionally release the 100 hostages it seized during a surprise attack into Israel last October, which sparked the current round of fighting.
Both sides seem content to keep fighting to the last Palestinian civilian.
– A senior European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity
Israeli airstrikes pounded Gaza again overnight, killing at least 23 Palestinians, including women and children, according to local officials. The Israeli military claims to have eliminated dozens of Hamas militants in the raids but has come under fire for the rising civilian death toll, which now exceeds 43,000.
A Wasteland of Suffering
With much of northern Gaza under siege and resembling an apocalyptic no man’s land, the already dire humanitarian crisis has reached new depths. Nearly 70% of those killed are women and children, the UN reports, describing the situation as one of “almost unparalleled suffering.”
- Over 150,000 Palestinians have been displaced, many crammed into overcrowded makeshift shelters
- 80% of Gaza’s 2 million people now depend on international aid to survive
- 48% of children exhibit severe signs of psychological trauma and distress
As Hamas faces the specter of losing its Qatari safe haven and with no clear path to peace, Gaza’s long-suffering population can only brace for darker days ahead. The world may hope for the Biden administration’s last-gasp attempt to broker a deal, but regional experts remain pessimistic.
At this stage, even if Yahya Sinwar and Benjamin Netanyahu shook hands tomorrow, Gaza has already been bombed and starved back into the Stone Age. It will take a generation to recover, if ever.
– Zaid Asali, a veteran Palestinian diplomat based in London
For Hamas, being cast out of Qatar may prove a mere footnote in the tragedy unfolding in Gaza. But for the US and its regional allies, the move could signal a pivotal shift in Middle East realignment, with unpredictable repercussions rippling across the war-ravaged landscape for years to come.
