30 October 2023; MEMO: The spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Bin Mohammad Al Ansar, said Doha does not intend to close the Hamas office in the country due to its importance in ending the conflict.
Al-Ansari explained in an interview with CNN that closing the Hamas office at the current time is not possible, stressing that “It is the only way that we are mediating for the release of these hostages and for them to get back to their families,” referring to Israeli prisoners of war being held by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.
He noted: “Since 2006 we’ve been approached by various sides to open this channel communication and since then along with, in 2012 the [Hamas] political office moving to Doha, this channel has been very instrumental in countless de-escalations that took place, including one that happened on the 28th of September this year, so just days before this recent escalation.”
“Therefore, as long as this channel is useful in creating peace, we have to have it, we can’t afford to lose it,” he added.
He concluded that the continued Israeli ground operation in the Gaza Strip greatly complicated Doha’s efforts to free the prisoners of war held in Gaza.
