A senior Qatari diplomat has denied claims of direct communication with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and stated that Qatar's mediation team has not met with the families of hostages held by Hamas.
Speaking exclusively to The Jerusalem Post, the diplomat clarified that all mediation efforts are conducted exclusively through representatives from Hamas's political office in Doha.
"Khalil Al-Hayah has been leading negotiations on behalf of Hamas since day one," the diplomat stated, emphasizing that Sinwar has never been involved in direct talks.
Khalil al-Hayah is a senior Hamas political figure. He has been heavily involved in the terrorist organization's diplomatic efforts, often representing it in ceasefire talks and other negotiations. According to the Qatari diplomat, Al-Hayah has led the discussions with external mediators throughout the current hostage crisis.
Haniyeh's role
"Haniyeh was involved in previous negotiations, but it was always Al-Hayah who managed the technical side of things," the diplomat said regarding Hamas's former political bureau chief.
Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader, had a significant influence on the group before his assasination during a visit to Tehran in July 2024. Although Haniyeh once held a prominent position, his role in negotiations that occurred before his death had been largely limited.
The Qatari diplomat stressed that no member of Qatar's mediation team had made such a statement to the hostages' families. "None of the Qatari mediation team members have had a meeting with the hostages' family members, neither this week nor last week," the official said, addressing the N12 report that suggested Sinwar had ceased communications and was hiding among hostages.
"What was mentioned in the article is simply not true."