A senior Hamas source confirmed that the movement has not received a request from Qatar to leave Doha, despite multiple reports that claimed so, however, he said the movement was informed of the US request in this regard.
The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the movement was made aware of a US request and mounting pressure for its expulsion, but the Qatari government has not made any request from the movement's leaders.
The source added: "This has happened several times before, and it seems to be a form of US pressure aimed at forcing the movement to make concessions in the stalled ceasefire negotiations in Gaza."
Also, a senior Hamas official told AFP on Saturday that the militant group had received no indication from Qatar that it should leave the country, where its political office has been based for years.
"We have nothing to confirm or deny regarding what was published by an unidentified diplomatic source and we have not received any request to leave Qatar," the official said from Doha.
Earlier, a diplomatic source told AFP on Saturday that "the Qataris informed both the Israelis and Hamas that as long as there is a refusal to negotiate a deal in good faith, they cannot continue to mediate."
"As a consequence, the Hamas political office no longer serves its purpose," the source said on condition of anonymity.
Qatar, which is home to a major US military base, has hosted Hamas's political leadership since 2012 with Washington's blessing.
During the talks after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel last year, both Qatari and US officials indicated that the militant group would remain in Doha as long as its presence offered a viable channel of communication.
