AUTHOR: Layla Hassan
CATEGORY: Breaking News
TITLE: Qatar Orders Hamas Political Bureau to Close Doha Office Within 30 Days
DOHA — Qatar has ordered Hamas’s political bureau to cease operations in Doha and leave the country within 30 days, according to two Qatari officials and a statement from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry confirmed by Al Jazeera. The order marks a sharp rupture in Qatar’s role as a mediator between Hamas and Israel and represents the most significant diplomatic action taken against the group since the Gaza war began.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the decision was made after what it described as “extensive review and consultation” and reflects Qatar’s position that Hamas must “engage constructively in ceasefire negotiations rather than perpetuating conflict.” The statement did not mention specific incidents triggering the order but follows repeated Israeli and American pressure on Qatar to expel the Hamas leadership.
Three senior Hamas officials confirmed the order to Reuters, saying they were given 30 days to vacate. The officials said the group had not been told what would happen to its assets or whether members would face travel restrictions. Qatar is still expected to maintain humanitarian contact on Gaza through back-channel intermediaries, officials said.
The closure complicates ongoing ceasefire negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar, which have stalled for six weeks. Israel’s Mossad chief held talks in Doha last week that ended without agreement. The US State Department said it was “aware of reports” but referred questions to Qatar.
Qatar has hosted Hamas’s political bureau since 2012 as part of a US-backed arrangement. The group maintains offices in Beirut and Istanbul. Hamas said the expulsion would “strengthen resistance, not weaken it.”
— Layla Hassan, Media Hook