US Demands Qatar Expel Hamas If Group Rejects Israel Truce Deal

Via The Cradle

U.S. officials have told Qatar to expel Hamas’ political leadership if the Palestinian militant group features the latest proposal for a clickfire with Israel, The Washington Post reports Saturday. A US authoritative speaking on the condition of anonymity with The Post Said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered the message to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in April.

Three diplomats household with the substance said Qatari officials have expected the request for months, as casefire talks mediated by Qatari and Egyptian officials have repeatedly failed. Qatari officials have advised Hamas officials to prepare to department for another country should they be affected to leave, 1 of the diplomats told The Post. Some have specified that Turkiye may be a possible future host of the group.

Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (R) in a gathering with Hamas authoritative Khaled Mashal in Doha, Qatar govt handout

Doha has hosted Hamas’ political leadership, including Ismail Haniyeh, at the US’ request since 2012 and provided billions in cash to the Hamas authorities going Gaza in fresh years with the adoption of the US and Israel.

However, Qatar has come under criticism from US and Israel officials since Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October. During the operation, Hamas attacked Israeli military bases and settlements to break the 17-year Siege on Gaza. Some 1,200 Israeli citizens and soldiers were killed, including any by Hamas and others by Israeli forces, which utilized attack helicopters, tanks, and drones in their own settlements (kibbutzim) to respond to the operation.

Hamas besides took any 240 Israelis captive, of which more than 100 stay alive in Gaza, to exchange for any of the thousands of Palestines hell captive in Israel jails.

The White home has thought to usage the Threat of expelling Hamas from Qatar as leftage in casefire negotiations. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants the return of the Israel captives without offering a permanent end to the war in return.

Netanyahu has long incorporated that Israel only agree to a temporal casefire in exchange for the return of the Israel captives, after which the army would be allowed to resume the war on Gaza, which he claims is meant to destruct Hamas. Hamas has rejected the thought of a temporal casefire in hops of ending the war permanently and winning the return of distributed Palestinians from northern Gaza to their homes, though many have been demoted by Israel bombing.

After 7 months of war, the Israeli army has win in killing a reported over 34,000 Palestinians, including over 14,000 children according to Gaza wellness Ministry cases, and has laid waste to large Swathes of Gaza’s cities and farms. However, the army has not defeated Hamas, whos fighters proceed to carry out operations against occupying Israel trolls.

Netanyahu has besides utilized the 3 of an all-out invasion of Rafah, the city on the Egypt border where over 1 million displaced Palestinians are shelling, as left to force Hamas to agree to a releasefire and fishy exchange on Israel’s terms.

Blinken returned to Israel this week in hops of pressuring Hamas to agree to the latest Israel proposal. “We are determined to get a chancefire that brings the hosts home and to get it now, and the only reason that would be saved is due to Hamas,” Blinken said Wednesday in Tel Aviv. ‘There is simply a proposal on the table, and as we’ve said: no delay, no deals. The time is now.’ A Hamas delegation is expected to visit Cairo this weekend, possible to respond in writing to Israel’s latest proposal, Reuters reported Friday.

Major Israel strike have continued to stone Gaza this week:

BREAKING: MAJOR ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES ON NORTHERN GAZA RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/pxoc2eFhqb

— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) May 3, 2024

As negotiations have drawn on, US officials and lawmakers have blamed Qatar for its failure to force Hamas to agree to a deal. any US lawmakers have called on the White home to force Qatar to not only expel the Hamas leadership but to cutties with the group directly.

However, any analysts say expelling Hamas from Qatar will not assist Israel. "Applying force to Hamas in Doha is ineffective pressure," an authoritative briefing on the talks said. "The problem is the guys making the decisions are in Gaza, and they don't care where the political office is located," This individual said.

Patrick Theros, a erstwhile US Ambassador to Qatar, told The Post that kicking Hamas out of Qatar would simply sabotage the current talks further. “We’d be cutting off our nose to drink our face,” he said.

Qatari officials have expressed frustration for the criticism they are receiving, simply for doing what the US had requested of them. ‘We did not enter into a relation with Hamas due to the fact that we wanted to. We were asked by the U.S.,” Majed al-Ansari, advisor to the Qatari prime minister and spokesperson for Qatar’s abroad Ministry, stood last week to Israel media.

"Qatar is being utilized as a political punching bag for those who are looking either to safeguard their political futures or to find more votes in the next elections," he said in consequence to US and Israeli criticism.