Qatar exits Gaza war mediation efforts; Hamas denies expulsion from Doha, reports say

Shafaq News/ Qatar informed Hamas, Israel, and the US of its decision to withdraw from months-long mediation efforts regarding the Gaza conflict, while Hamas denied reports of its expulsion from Doha, Reuters and the Associated Press reported on Saturday.

These developments follow an Axios report citing a senior US official who stated that Washington informed Qatar that Hamas's presence in Doha is “no longer acceptable." The official added that the US request came after Hamas recently rejected a proposal for a hostage agreement in Gaza.

However, a senior Hamas official told CNN that reports of Qatar agreeing to expel Hamas officials from Doha are "baseless" and simply a "pressure tactic," noting that similar claims have previously circulated without evidence.

Notably, Qatar, along with the US and Egypt, has been a key player in ongoing but so far unsuccessful efforts to broker a ceasefire in the year-long war in Gaza, where Israeli actions have resulted in over 43,000 deaths, mostly among women and children.