US, Qatar to reconsider Doha ties to Hamas after captives file: WP

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Oct 2023 00:34

The Washington Post says the agreement was reached during a recent meeting in Doha between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani join a meeting in Lusail, Qatar, Friday Oct. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

The Washington Post reported, citing four informed diplomats, that the United States and Qatar have agreed to reconsider Doha's relationship with Hamas after resolving the file of Israeli captives held by the movement.

According to the report, the agreement was reached during a recent meeting in Doha between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

Blinken had warned Doha about its close ties with Hamas, which hosts an office for the movement and its political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh. "There can be no more business as usual with Hamas," he said at a news conference in Qatar in mid-October.

The diplomats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, mentioned that it has not been decided yet whether the reevaluation will lead to the collective departure of Hamas leaders from Qatar, where they have maintained a political office in the capital for a long time or result in less drastic measures.

The report suggested that the agreement is seen as an attempt to balance the short-term goal of the Biden administration, which is to secure the release of as many captives held by Hamas as possible, with its long-term goal of isolating the movement in the aftermath of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

On Wednesday, Qatar warned that any Israeli ground invasion into Gaza would complicate efforts to release the captives, noting that there has been some progress in this regard.

Israeli media reported, citing high-level sources in the occupation entity, that there is an opportunity to reach a deal with Qatari mediation to release a large number of captives held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, sources confirmed that negotiations on this deal will not cancel out the attempt of an Israeli ground invasion into Gaza and that it "will come into effect," indicating the need to exploit the existing opportunity to conclude a deal, as "the chances of reaching a broad deal will decrease dramatically."

The Israeli newspaper's diplomatic affairs correspondent, Itamar Eichner, reported that the window to reach a deal is narrowing significantly because "Israel is running out of time," pointing out that Hamas will be flexible if "Israel" sets a deadline for the Qataris and Americans regarding a ground invasion into Gaza.

Meanwhile, according to Eichner, Hamas is exploiting the situation, preferring to release a few captives at a time to "buy time."