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| Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (L) in a meeting with Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh (R) and Khaled Mashal in Doha, October 17, 2016 |
Qatar has informed the political leaders of Hamas that they are "no longer welcome" in the Gulf nation, according to reports from Israeli media on Friday.
The Hebrew-language Kan news outlet indicated that this decision was conveyed to the Palestinian resistance group "in recent days."
In a related development, several Republican senators in the United States sent a letter to the Biden administration this week urging a reassessment of its policy towards Qatar.
Led by Senators Roger Wicker and Jim Risch, who serve as the ranking members on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, the group of 12 senators called for the freezing of assets belonging to Hamas officials residing in Qatar and demanded that their leader, Khaled Meshal, be held accountable.
"The defeat of Hamas is within reach, and eliminating the safe haven that its leadership enjoys abroad is crucial to achieving this goal," the senators stated.
Qatar has played a role in facilitating cease-fire discussions between Hamas and Israel. Al Jazeera, which receives partial funding from Qatar, reported that an Israeli official met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to continue peace negotiations following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Additionally, Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea and CIA Director Bill Burns participated in these negotiations.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Al Thani last month, emphasizing Qatar’s "essential" role in efforts to conclude the conflict in the Gaza Strip and secure the release of hostages.
Source: Anadolu Agency
