In a recent edition of MEMRI Daily Brief No. 539, Yigal Carmon, Founder and President of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), emphasized the need for immediate action to secure the release of the American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Carmon highlighted the crucial role of pressuring Qatar, who he argues is not an honest broker in negotiations, but rather a staunch supporter of Islamist terrorist organizations.

According to Carmon, the hostages, including 13 kidnapped Americans, are being held to guarantee the lives of Hamas members. However, he asserts that Hamas is not interested in releasing Israeli hostages but is solely focused on securing the freedom of Americans and Russians, owing to pressure from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The recent murder of at least 32 Americans by Hamas on October 7 has drawn attention to the urgency of the situation. Carmon dismisses the notion of pleasing the Qataris, who are demanding constant praise from the Americans, as a viable strategy in securing the release of the American hostages.

Carmon suggests that the key to rescuing the hostages lies in pressuring Qatar, which has a long history of supporting various Islamist terrorist organizations, including ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Hamas, and Hezbollah. He highlights Qatar's covert role in sheltering Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and the subsequent disappearance of Mohammed when the FBI attempted to arrest him on Qatari soil.

The significance of the U.S. CENTCOM base located in Qatar is emphasized by Carmon. He argues that while many believe the U.S. owes Qatar gratitude for hosting the base, it is in fact Qatar that owes its existence to the U.S. Without the base, Carmon contends that Qatar would succumb rapidly to neighboring nations.

Carmon proposes that the American hostages can be swiftly released by signaling a potential relocation of the U.S. CENTCOM base from Qatar to another country not associated with state-sponsored terrorism. He suggests that even indicating the existence of alternative options could compel Qatar to exert pressure on Hamas for the hostages' release. Carmon asserts that the families of the hostages should demand such measures from their members of Congress.

Highlighting Qatar's role in supporting Hamas, Carmon suggests that the families of both American and Israeli hostages can take independent action by exposing Qatar as a state sponsor of terrorism. He urges demonstrations in front of the Qatari Embassy in Washington, D.C., and encourages media campaigns, Congressional hearings, divestment from Qatari businesses, and international legal actions against Qatar.

While Carmon acknowledges that the current U.S. administration may not be fully aligned with these strategies, he points out that the families of the hostages can play a crucial role in pressuring Qatar and bringing attention to its support of terrorism.

As the urgency to secure the release of the American hostages in Gaza grows, it remains to be seen how international pressures will influence the outcome of the negotiations and the fate of the hostages.

(This article is based on information provided in MEMRI Daily Brief No. 539.)