Qatar’s super-fixer role in Israel-Hamas war brings praise and scrutiny

One day, it was US secretary of state Antony Blinken flying into Qatar to secure Doha’s support in releasing hostages seized by Hamas and preventing the militant group’s war with Israel escalating into a regional conflict.

The next, it was Iran’s top diplomat Hossein Amirabdollahian touching down in the Gulf state condemning Israel and warning that its bombardment of Gaza risked broadening the conflict. Amirabdollahian then met Ismail Haniyeh, the Doha-based political leader of Hamas, and lauded the “Palestinian victory”, referring to the militant group’s October 7 attack that triggered the war.