Qatar Ready to Accept Possible Formal US Request to Oust Hamas Leaders - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Qatar is ready to accept the US demand that Doha expel the leaders of Palestinian movement Hamas from its territory and expects to receive such a request soon if Hamas rejects a newly proposed hostage deal, The Times of Israel reported on Saturday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Qatar in April to oust Hamas if the movement continued to turn down ceasefire agreements with Israel, The Washington Post reported on Friday, citing US officials.

The United States may approach Doha with a request to expel Hamas members if the movement rejects a new hostage deal, the source told the newspaper. However, according to an unidentified Israeli official, Hamas is more likely to come back with an amended offer than to reject it outright.

Anything less than a positive response to the deal could give Washington an impetus to formally demand the removal of Hamas leaders from Qatar, the source said.

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden and Amir Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar held a conversation on securing the release of hostages and implementing a ceasefire in Gaza after Hamas was offered a 40-day ceasefire and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for freeing Israeli hostages.

Biden said that the US, along with Egypt and Qatar, would ensure the deal's full implementation, urging Al-Thani to work on the release of hostages.