Qatar told US it is open to reconsidering Hamas presence, US official says

Qatar told the United States that it was open to reconsidering Hamas's presence on its territory, a senior US official said on Friday, once the crisis over scores of hostages kidnapped by the Islamist militant group is resolved.

The understanding, which was first reported by the Washington Post, was reached during a meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, when the top US diplomat was visiting Doha earlier this month, the official said.

Qatar's ruling emir on Tuesday urged the international community not to grant Israel "unrestricted authorisation to kill" Palestinians in its fight against Hamas, in what he called a dangerous escalation that threatens global security.

"We say enough. Israel shouldn't be granted an unconditional green light and unrestricted authorisation to kill," Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said in an annual speech to open the Gulf Arab state's advisory Shura council, his first public comments since Qatar began its most recent efforts to mediate between Israel and Hamas.