Qatar could close the political office of Hamas as part of a broader review of its role as a mediator in the war between Israel and the militant Palestinian Islamist group, according to an official familiar with the Qatari government's reassessment.

The U.S. has asked the Persian Gulf state of Qatar to expel Hamas’s political leadership if the group doesn’t agree to a Gaza cease-fire deal in high-stakes talks under way in Cairo, an official from the region said.

On the request of the United States, Qatar could shut down the political office of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas.

Teams from the Palestinian militant group Hamas and mediator Qatar arrived in the Egyptian capital on Saturday for further talks on a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Israel, sources at the Cairo airport said.

Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) -Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh discussed the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks in separate phone calls with Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

There has been 'significant progress' in negotiations to reach the deal, according to a report by an Egyptian TV channel Qatar could close the political office of Hamas as part of a review of its role as a mediator in the Israel-Gaza war,