Sat Nov 09 05:13:51 UTC 2024: ## US Demands Qatar Expel Hamas Leaders After Hostage Deal Failure

**DOHA, QATAR -** The United States has demanded that Qatar expel Hamas leaders from its territory, citing the Palestinian militant group’s refusal to negotiate a ceasefire and hostage deal.

A senior administration official confirmed the U.S. communicated this stance to Qatar following Hamas’ rejection of a recent proposal to release hostages. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the demand was made approximately ten days ago.

“After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, its leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner,” the official stated. “We made that clear to Qatar following Hamas’s rejection weeks ago of another hostage release proposal.”

Qatar, alongside the U.S. and Egypt, has been actively involved in negotiations to broker a ceasefire in the year-long conflict in Gaza. However, recent talks in mid-October fell apart after Hamas rejected a short-term ceasefire proposal.

The U.S. has been preparing for a final push to end the conflict, but the recent election of Donald Trump as U.S. President has significantly weakened the Biden administration’s leverage in the final weeks of its term.

While three Hamas officials denied that Qatar had ordered them to leave, the Qatari foreign ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment. The deadline for Hamas leaders to depart from the country remains unclear.

This development comes after repeated calls from U.S. lawmakers for stricter action against Hamas, including freezing assets and extraditing senior officials residing in Qatar.

Qatar has maintained that its hosting of Hamas officials is crucial for negotiations and that the office in Doha would remain open as long as it remained useful.

The move to expel Hamas leaders signifies a growing frustration with the group’s intransigence in negotiating a resolution to the ongoing conflict and could potentially shift the dynamics of peace talks in the final weeks of the Biden administration.

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