Joe Biden has been urged to pressure Qatar over hosting the potential next generation of Hamas leaders and exert his diplomatic power to push for the release of remaining hostages and a ceasefire. 

Israel has repeatedly called on Qatar to impose harsher measures on the terror group and analysts believe the killing of leader Yahya Sinwar has provided a “prime opportunity” to secure an end to the 12-month-long conflict. 

Washington should “force” Qatar into extraditing Khaled Meshaal, Hamas’ likely new leader, to the US or Israel unless hostages are released, according to Jonathan Schanzer, the senior vice president of research at the Federation of the Defence of Democracies think tank.

Doha, which hosts several of the group’s senior leaders, should also freeze Meshaal’s assets before he is able to flee to another Hamas-allied country, such as Turkey, Mr Schanzer added.

“The Qataris should be pressured relentlessly to this end,” he continued. “Whether the Biden administration uses this opportunity remains to be seen.”