mediation efforts are being led by Qatar,

a tiny peninsula on the Persian Gulf 1,100 miles away.

The country has used its close ties with both Hamas

and the West to negotiate the release of hostages from Gaza

and get others out through the border crossing with Egypt.

It's just the latest example

of Qatar's important role on the world stage,

from helping the US evacuate thousands

of people from Afghanistan to brokering a prisoner swap deal

between the US and Iran.

Here's how Qatar became such an important player

in global diplomacy.

Qatar's location and economic clout

make it strategically important

to a lot of different countries.

It shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia,

a major power in the Middle East,

and it shares the world's largest natural gas field

right here with Iran, Saudi's biggest regional rival.

Exports of liquified natural gas have made Qatar one

of the wealthiest countries in the world,

boosting its influence in this volatile region.

This has made Qatar a critical energy partner for a lot

of countries, especially those in Europe

because the continent has been reducing its reliance

on Russian oil and gas.

Qatar is also important to the United States,

and right here is the biggest US military base

in the Middle East.

It's been a launching pad for operations in Afghanistan,

Iraq, and Syria.

Last year, the US made Qatar a major non-NATO ally.

Qatar has also made itself influential in the broader region

through Al Jazeera,

the largest news media network in the Middle East,

but it has been criticized in both the Arab world

and the West for its sometimes controversial coverage

of uprisings, wars and other conflicts.

For example, the network broadcast video messages

from Osama bin Laden after 9/11.

Nevertheless, Qatar prides itself on being a meeting place

for diverse viewpoints, which was on full display

when the country hosted the World Cup last year,

and its ambassador to the US recently wrote an opinion piece

in The Wall Street Journal,

claiming that "Qatar is the Mid-East's honest broker."

In the 1980s and '90s

the country's leaders developed relationships with Iran,

as well as regional groups like Hamas

in the Palestinian territories

and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt,

groups that are considered terrorist organizations

in some parts of the world.

It also fostered ties with the Afghan Taliban.

In 2013, the Taliban opened a political office in Qatar

with support from the US and Afghan governments.

Years of negotiations in Doha led to a deal in 2020

for US troops to withdraw from Afghanistan,

ending America's longest war.

(people clapping)

But the agreement didn't bring peace to the country.

The Taliban never reached a power sharing agreement

with the Afghan government,

and it seized control of Kabul in 2021.

Qatar helped to evacuate US citizens in the aftermath,

and it is now Washington's diplomatic representative

in the country.

Hamas also opened a political office in Qatar in 2012

after a request by the Obama administration

to establish indirect lines of communication,

and Qatar has provided financial aid

to Palestinians in Gaza, which is run by Hamas.

That has led to accusations of funding terrorism,

which Qatar denies.

Qatar's complex web of relationships

has caused friction with its neighbors.

In 2017, it was blockaded by Saudi Arabia, the UAE,

Bahrain and Egypt.

They accused Doha of meddling in their domestic affairs,

supporting extremist groups,

and being too close to regional rival Iran.

The four countries issued a list of demands,

including shutting down Al Jazeera

and reducing ties with Tehran.

Even though Qatar didn't make concessions,

the blockade ended in January of 2021,

and the terms of the deal haven't been made public.

Although the country's reestablished relations,

some analysts say that the root causes

of that diplomatic crisis haven't been resolved.

Today, Qatar's diplomatic relationships

are in the spotlight once again

with the country negotiating the release

of hostages taken from Israel into Gaza by Hamas.

(bomb exploding)

But Qatar said that without a pause in the fighting in Gaza,

its mediators won't be able to do their work.

- It's a very, very difficult negotiation

that we've been dealing with.

I always say that one of the most difficult mediation

is difficult between two parties

that have zero confidence in each other.

- Israeli officials have said

that Qatar's efforts are crucial at this time,

but so far, only a few hostages have been released.

And when the crisis is over,

many of Qatar's partners want it

to expel Hamas leaders from the country,

that includes more than 100 members of Congress

who signed a letter to President Biden.

Qatar said that the political office

of Hamas will remain open as long

as it can be used toward peace.

Some diplomats worry that those Hamas leaders

could move somewhere more hostile to the West,

like Iran or Syria.

That could make any communication between Hamas,

Israel and the West even more complicated

in situations like the one

that is currently unfolding in the Middle East.

(pensive music)