Hamas to step down but disarmament in doubt, says Qatari PM

Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani announced on October 31 that Hamas has agreed to step back from governing Gaza, though the group has yet to commit to full disarmament. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, al-Thani outlined Qatar’s ongoing mediation efforts amid renewed tensions and fragile ceasefire conditions in the region, reported by Middle East Eye and agencies.

“Hamas’s response to us was very clear—they are willing to give up the governance,” al-Thani said. However, he explained that the group views disarmament as a collective responsibility among Palestinian factions, not Hamas alone. “We are trying to push them to get to a point where they acknowledge that they need to disarm,” he added.

Al-Thani emphasised that ensuring security for both Palestinians and Israelis remains central to Qatar’s diplomatic efforts. “We need to make sure that the Palestinians are safe and the Israelis are safe. That is the whole purpose of the decommissioning and disarmament,” he said.

Qatar, alongside the United States, Turkey, and Egypt, is a guarantor of the ceasefire agreement signed earlier this month. The deal, however, has been plagued by violations. Israel has refused to reopen the Rafah border crossing and has carried out multiple air strikes on Gaza. On October 29, Israeli forces launched their most intense bombardment since the ceasefire began, killing at least 104 Palestinians, including 46 children, in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and nearby refugee camps.

Israel claimed the strikes were a response to a Hamas attack in Rafah that left one Israeli soldier dead and the delayed return of captives’ bodies. Hamas has denied involvement in the incident. Al-Thani described the attack as “very disappointing and frustrating,” adding that Qatar’s priority remains de-escalation and the preservation of the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking during a visit to East Asia, appeared to back Israel’s response, stating, “The Israelis hit back, and they should hit back.”

The United States is drafting a United Nations resolution to authorise the deployment of Arab and Muslim peacekeeping forces to Gaza. Washington is consulting closely with the United Kingdom and France on the proposal, which notably omits references to Palestinian statehood or a two-state solution.

Al-Thani also referenced Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, noting that its core principles include ending the war, preventing annexation, and ensuring Israel’s eventual withdrawal once an international stabilisation force is in place.

Tensions between Israel and Qatar escalated sharply in September after Israel launched a strike in Doha that killed six people, including a Qatari security official, the attack targeted Hamas officials. The incident, which al-Thani described as having “affected the heart of the security architecture of the region,” prompted Washington to reaffirm its defence commitments to Qatar.

Al-Thani concluded that the Doha attack marked a turning point in U.S. engagement, “The attack showed the U.S. that all the red lines were being crossed”.

Middle East Eye and agencies, Maghrebi.org