Qatar says it is ‘reevaluating’ its role as mediator between Israel and Hamas

Qatar’s prime minister has said the country is reevaluating its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas.

Qatar has been a key intermediary throughout the war in Gaza.

It, along with the US and Egypt, was instrumental in helping negotiate a brief halt to the fighting in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages. Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Thani said there had been an “abuse” of Qatar’s mediation for “narrow political interests”.

He did not name one side, but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised Qatar and recently threatened to shutter Qatar-owned broadcaster Al Jazeera.

Top Hamas leaders live in exile in Qatar, which is seen as one of the only parties with influence over the militant group.

Mr Al Thani said there were “limits” to the role of mediator and “to the ability to which we can contribute to these negotiations in a constructive manner”.

Mediators have been trying to push Hamas and Israel toward a ceasefire deal,butthesidesremain far apart.

European Union leaders at a summit yesterday vowed to ramp up sanctions against Iran as concern grows that Tehran’s unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East.

The EU has already slapped sanctions on the Islamic Republic,butfrenchpresident Emmanuel Macron said new measures should target “those who are helping to produce the missiles and drones that were used” in the weekend attack.

The statement also called “on Iran and its proxies to cease all attacks”.

Meanwhile, Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests over the tech company’s cloudcomputingcontractwith the Israeli government.

Theworkersheldsit-insatthe company’s offices in California andnewyorkovergoogle’s$1.2 billion (£963.1 million) contract to provide custom tools for Israeli’s military.

The company said it carried out “individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed”.