A spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry said on Monday that Hamas leaders had left Doha, but denied reports that Qatar had ordered the permanent closure of the Palestinian group’s political office and the expulsion of its leadership from the Qatari capital.
Qatar, which has been mediating indirect talks on a ceasefire and a prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas, has suspended those efforts amid growing discontent over the lack of progress.
“If there is a decision to permanently close the office, you will hear the news here or in an official statement from the foreign ministry,” Qatari spokesman Majid bin Mohammed al-Ansari told reporters on Monday.
“The Hamas leaders who are on the negotiating team are not in Doha right now and as you know they are moving between different capitals. The office in Doha was created for the mediation process – obviously when there is no mediation process, the office has no function,” Al-Ansari said.
He did not reveal where Hamas leaders had gone, nor did he rule out the possibility that Doha would return to its role as mediator.
“The suspension of negotiation efforts does not in any way imply a Qatari position to withdraw from the pursuit of de-escalation or a change in the position of the State of Qatar regarding the need to end this war,” the spokesman said.
