Thank you to the Qataris

[spooky3]

According to reports, Qatar has played a critical role in helping Blinken, Biden and negotiators to arrange the release of some of the hostages. I would like to thank them for all they are doing and will do to help. I know it’s a complex situation and their own hands may not be perfectly “clean”, but it sounds as if no release would be taking place without them.

[yagotme]

1. After the hostages, they need to work on "releasing" the Hamas leaders they have in-country. nt

[Donkees]

2. 'Qatar has long hosted or directly talked to groups the U.S. and Europe do not want to deal with directly ... '

... the Hamas political office in Doha was opened over a decade ago in coordination with the U.S., after a request from Washington to establish indirect lines of communication. Qatar says it's been used across multiple U.S. administrations for mediation efforts.

The Biden administration and senior Israeli officials have lauded Qatar's role in trying to free more than 200 hostages, among them children and elderly, held by militants in Gaza.

Qatar has long hosted or directly talked to groups the U.S. and Europe do not want to deal with directly in difficult negotiations. That has helped Qatar exert influence, play a key role on the global stage and maintain relations with a wide range of players from Washington to Tehran.

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/02/1210110109/qatar-israel-gaza-hamas-war