The political leadership of the radical Islamist Hamas is apparently considering moving its base from Qatar to another country. According to a newspaper report, the Islamists have contacted at least two countries in the region in recent days to ask if they would be open to accepting it.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Oman is one of them. If Hamas’s political leadership leaves Qatar, it could jeopardize delicate talks over the release of dozens of Israeli hostages still held captive in Gaza, the report said. It will also likely become more difficult for Israel and the US to send messages to Hamas.
Has the pressure on the Palestinians become too great?
In recent weeks, mediators from Qatar and Egypt have put pressure on Hamas representatives during the negotiations, the newspaper writes. The Hamas leadership, which had lived in the Qatari capital Doha since 2012, was threatened with deportation.
This week, the Gulf emirate of Qatar itself announced that it would reconsider its role as a mediator between the Israeli government and the Islamist Hamas. Qatar’s role was to some extent misused for political purposes, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said in Doha on Wednesday. He did not elaborate on who and what exactly he meant by that.
Hamas leader meets Erdogan
Could Turkey now take a more important position? Despite Erdogan’s verbal attacks against the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Turkey has recently stepped up efforts to play a mediating role in the Gaza war. On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Hamas foreign chief Ismail Haniye in Istanbul.
The two wanted to discuss, among other things, humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and a ceasefire, state broadcaster TRT reported after the talks started in the early afternoon. Further details are not yet known.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
