Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majid bin Mohammed Al-Ansari, revealed that Qatar does not intend to close the Hamas office in Doha, "due to its significance in ending the conflict." Al-Ansari stated in an interview with CNN that closing the Hamas office in Qatar at this stage is "not on the table," emphasizing the importance of negotiations aimed at releasing the hostages held in Gaza and the efforts to halt the escalation.
He noted that this communication channel (Hamas office in Doha) "played a very important role in addressing the tensions that erupted last September," indicating that Qatar's discussions with Hamas helped de-escalate the situation after two weeks of ongoing clashes between Palestinians and Israelis.
Al-Ansari affirmed the importance of keeping this channel open, stating that it would contribute to resolving the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He said, "This is the only way we have a chance to act as a mediator for the release of the hostages and ensure their safe return to their families." He stressed that "this communication link cannot be allowed to be lost, as long as it is important for peace between the two parties."
He concluded that the continuation of the Israeli ground operation in the Gaza Strip "has significantly complicated Doha's efforts to free the hostages held in Gaza."
