Qatar to pull out of Gaza ceasefire mediation, source says

Qatar will stop trying to mediate a Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas and Israel "demonstrate a sincere willingness to return to the negotiating table", an official briefed on the matter told reporters on Saturday.

The Gulf country has also concluded that Hamas' political office in Doha "no longer serves its purpose," the official added.

The move marks the biggest setback in efforts to reach a ceasefire since Hamas triggered the Gaza war by attacking Israel on Oct.7, 2023.

"The Qataris have said since the start of the conflict that they can only mediate when both parties demonstrate a genuine interest in finding a resolution," the official said, adding that Qatar had notified Hamas, Israel and the US administration of its decision.

Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official told media on Saturday that the group had received no indication from Qatar that it should leave the country, where its political office has been based for years.

"We have nothing to confirm or deny regarding what was published by an unidentified diplomatic source and we have not received any request to leave Qatar," the official said from Doha.

Agencies