Qatar urged to expel Hamas after group rejected latest hostage deal

US says militant leaders should no longer be welcome in capital of any American partner

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The US has told Qatar that the presence of Hamas in Doha is no longer acceptable in the weeks since the Palestinian militant group rejected the latest proposal to achieve a cease-fire and a hostage deal, a senior administration official told Reuters on Nov 8.

The tiny Gulf state Qatar, alongside the US and Egypt, has played a major role in rounds of so-far fruitless talks to broker a ceasefire to the year-long war in Gaza.

The latest round of talks in mid-October failed to produce a deal, with Hamas rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal.

"After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, its leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner. We made that clear to Qatar following Hamas' rejection weeks ago of another hostage release proposal," the senior official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Qatar then made the demand to Hamas leaders about 10 days ago, the official said.

Washington has been in touch with Qatar over when to close the group's political office, and it told Doha that now was the time.

Three Hamas officials denied that Qatar had told Hamas leaders they were no longer welcome in the country.