Qatar has withdrawn its mediation between Israel and Palestinian Hamas after months of unsuccessful efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip, a diplomatic source said on Saturday.
“The Qataris have informed the Israelis and Hamas that as long as both sides refuse to negotiate an agreement in good faith, they cannot continue to play the role of mediator,” said the source on condition of anonymity.
“As a result, the Hamas political office (in Doha) no longer has its raison d’être“, she added.
With the United States and Egypt, Qatar had mediated between the two belligerents since a single truce in the conflict in November 2023 which lasted a week and allowed the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for prisoners. prisoners held by Israel.
Since then, numerous negotiating sessions have taken place without any results.
Hamas and Israel accuse each other of blocking any agreement, each camp refusing the other’s conditions for a ceasefire in the war triggered on October 7, 2023 by an attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement against Israel.
According to the diplomatic source, Qatar has already “notified both parties, Israel and Hamas as well as the American administration” of this decision. “The Qataris have informed the American administration that they would be ready to engage again in mediation when both parties (…) demonstrate a sincere desire to return to the negotiating table”she clarified.
Morocco
