Qatar pulls out of Gaza mediation citing 'lack of serious willingness': Report

Qatar, along with the US and Egypt, has been involved in months-long mediation aiming to end the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli captives held by the Iran-backed terror group.

In Short

• Qatar halted talks due to lack of 'sincere willingness' by Hamas, Israel
• May resume if both sides show serious political willingness
• Last negotiation round, held in October, ended without resolution

Qatar has decided to halt its mediation efforts for a Gaza ceasefire deal, citing a lack of "sincere willingness" from both Hamas and Israel to return to the negotiation table, a diplomatic official close to the matter told news agency Reuters.

"Qatar will stop trying to mediate a Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas and Israel demonstrate a sincere willingness to return to the negotiating table," the official said, adding that the Gulf nation has also concluded that Hamas's political office in Doha "no longer serves its purpose".

Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, has been involved in months-long negotiations aiming to end the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli captives held by the Iran-backed terror group since October 7, 2023.

However, the Qataris are highly likely to re-engage in mediation efforts given both sides show "serious political willingness" to reach a deal on the war in Gaza, another official aware of the matter told news agency Associated Press.

The official also said that both Israel and Hamas, along with the United States, were informed after the decision was made.

The announcement follows mounting frustration over stalled efforts for a ceasefire agreement. The latest round of negotiations, held in mid-October, ended without a resolution, as Hamas rejected a proposed short-term ceasefire.

According to a US official, Washington had told Qatar that Hamas's presence in Doha was no longer acceptable in the weeks since the Palestinian militant group rejected the latest proposal to achieve a ceasefire and a hostage deal.

Palestinian health officials report that over 43,000 people have lost their lives in Gaza following more than a year of intense conflict. The figures provided do not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but they indicate that more than half of those killed in the war were women and children.

The war began after the Gaza-based terror outfit stormed into Israel in October last year, killing around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 others from a music festival.