US asks Qatar to expel Hamas leadership from territory in search of ceasefire in Gaza | World and Science

The United States has asked the Persian Gulf state of Qatar to expel Hamas’ political leadership if the group does not agree to a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, during high-stakes talks underway in Cairo, a regional official said.

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Qatar, which has hosted the group’s political wing since 2012, is ready to make the move when requested, the official said. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

The move is a sign of the strong pressure the US is putting on Hamas and Israel to pause a conflict that Palestinian health officials say has killed more than 34,000 people in Gaza. Concerns about the high cost to civilians have spilled over into U.S. domestic politics, triggering a wave of protests on college campuses that are threatening President Joe Biden’s fragile bid for a second term.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Middle East last week, meeting with Arab and Israeli officials to advance a ceasefire agreement and a broader resolution of the conflict. The war was sparked when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and taking about 240 hostage, according to Israeli officials. (Source: Dow Jones).