March 14, 2025 | New York Sun
To Make Progress on Gaza Hostages, Raise the Pressure on Hamas’ Sponsor: Qatar
Doha has simultaneously fanned the flames of the Gaza war while also purporting to help try and end it.
March 14, 2025 | New York Sun
To Make Progress on Gaza Hostages, Raise the Pressure on Hamas’ Sponsor: Qatar
Doha has simultaneously fanned the flames of the Gaza war while also purporting to help try and end it.
Excerpt
After meeting Israeli hostages at the White House, President Trump gave Hamas a final ultimatum: release all the hostages and leave Gaza “while you still have a chance.” Mr. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff then cancelled his upcoming trip to Qatar.
For a moment, the White House appeared to be souring on Hamas’s top Arab sponsor. Then Mr. Witkoff’s trip was back on. He arrived at Doha on Wednesday before heading to Moscow for Ukraine talks on Thursday.
Natalie Ecanow is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C. Follow Natalie on X @NatalieEcanow. and FDD @FDD.