The Qatari government has agreed to expel Hamas from its territory following a request from the United States, responding to the U.S.-designated terrorist group’s repeated refusals to agree to a ceasefire that would end its war with Israel.
About two weeks ago, the U.S. formally asked Qatar to push Hamas leaders out of Doha, after Hamas once again rejected ceasefire proposals, a senior Biden administration official told media outlets. “Hamas is a terrorist group that has killed Americans and continues to hold Americans hostage,” the official said. “After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, its leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner. We made that clear to Qatar following Hamas’s rejection weeks ago of another hostage release proposal.”
Qatar, which has mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas alongside the U.S. and Egypt, agreed to the request. The Qatari government informed Hamas leaders about ten days ago. It is still unclear when they will be expelled or where they will relocate.
Khaled Meshaal, believed to be Hamas’s top official outside Gaza and based in Qatar, was one of six Hamas leaders charged by the U.S. Department of Justice in early September for orchestrating the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack in Israel. The attack killed approximately 1,200 people, including over 40 Americans, and saw the kidnapping of about 250 others. Meshaal, who led Hamas’s Politburo from 1996 to 2017, is a prominent figure within the organization.
Despite various efforts, Hamas has failed to release any hostages since the weeklong ceasefire agreement of November 2023. Negotiations between Hamas and Israel have stalled due to the conflicting demands of each side. “Hamas has shown no signs of budging off unrealistic positions that would effectively ensure it remained in power in Gaza, a position that Israel (and the United States) will never accept,” a source close to the situation stated.
The decision to request Qatar’s expulsion of Hamas leaders was not made lightly and had been under consideration for several months. However, it was “accelerated” after the death of American Hersh Goldberg Polin, one of six Israeli hostages killed by Hamas in late August. “Following Hamas’s repeated refusal to release even a small number of hostages, including most recently during meetings in Cairo, their continued presence in Doha is no longer viable or acceptable,” the senior official emphasized.
While Qatar’s mediation efforts had initially offered hope of a ceasefire deal following the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces in mid-October, recent events have shown that such optimism has not materialized. Hamas rejected an Egyptian ceasefire proposal after Sinwar’s death, marking the “final straw” for the U.S.
The Biden administration continues to pursue a ceasefire deal, viewing Qatar’s expulsion of Hamas leaders as potential leverage in future negotiations.
Since the October 7 attack, Israel’s objectives have remained clear: to remove Hamas from power in Gaza and to dismantle its military infrastructure. Hamas has spent over a decade militarizing Gaza, including the construction of tunnels and weapon stockpiles beneath civilian areas.
The ongoing conflict has devastated Gaza, with over 40,000 people reported dead. The majority of the population is displaced, facing dire humanitarian conditions, including limited access to food, clean water, and medicine.
The U.S. administration has also pressured Israel to improve humanitarian aid access in Gaza, setting a 30-day deadline for significant progress. Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh acknowledged the urgency, stating, “The situation in Gaza, the humanitarian situation remains dire.”
