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Qatar has announced that it will suspend ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.

Let’s bring you up to speed: Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, Qatar has played a critical role in mediating talks to de-escalate the conflict. Unlike many Western countries, Qatar views Hamas as a political entity rather than a terrorist organization and has hosted its political leadership for over two decades. This has led to Qatar acting as a primary communication channel between Hamas, Israel, and other stakeholders, including the United States and Egypt.

What’s going on now: In an announcement, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it decided to suspend mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas due to a lack of “willingness and seriousness” to end the war in Gaza. The Ministry noted that Qatar had informed the involved parties that continuing mediation would be ineffective without a clear demonstration of willingness to resolve the conflict.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari said, “Qatar notified the parties ten days ago during the last attempts to reach an agreement, that it would stall its efforts to mediate between Hamas and Israel if an agreement was not reached in that round. Qatar will resume those efforts with its partners when the parties show their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war and the ongoing suffering of civilians caused by catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the [Gaza] Strip.”

What Israel & Hamas want:

Israel’s demands: Israel has set strict conditions for agreeing to a ceasefire with Hamas, primarily demanding the complete disarmament of the group and the unconditional release of hostages taken during the war. Israeli officials have emphasized that any end of hostilities would require guarantees that Hamas will no longer pose a military threat, calling for the dismantling of its weapons infrastructure. Additionally, Israel insists that Hamas must relinquish control over Gaza and end its political and military presence there, conditions that Israel sees as essential to ensuring long-term security.

Hamas’s demands: Hamas demands that any ceasefire with Israel includes maintaining their control over the region and lifting the Gaza blockade. They also seek guarantees to end Israeli military actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, along with protections for Palestinian civilians, freedom of movement, and the rebuilding of damaged infrastructure.