Freeing hostages, hosting Hamas: Qatar's influence in Israel-Gaza war, explained

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.