US and Qatari officials informed CNN that Qatar kicked Hamas out in recent weeks after months of fruitless attempts to get the militant group, whose top leaders live in Doha, to accept a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Israel-Hamas war.
With efforts to pause the war, a primary objective for President Joe Biden, faltering, US officials notified their Qatari colleagues two weeks ago that they must stop granting Hamas refuge in their capital. Qatar agreed and gave Hamas notice a week ago, sources said.
“Hamas is a terrorist group that has killed Americans and continues to hold Americans hostage,” a senior administration official told CNN. After rejecting numerous hostage-release requests, its leaders should no longer be welcome in any American partner’s capitals.
A senior Hamas official called allegations of Qatar agreeing to expel Hamas officials from Doha “baseless” and a “pressure tactic,” saying that similar statements had been made without evidence.
“Israeli media reports that Qatar will expel Hamas from Doha at US request are untrue and a pressure tactic. This has been repeated without evidence,” the Hamas official told CNN Saturday.
