I just cancelled a RTW ticket for May and not planning to travel via Doha or the wider region for a long while, mostly for peace of mind, mine and of the family, for at least until there is a complete ceasefire and resolution of the Hormuz issue.

This said;

The rumor: The rumor doing the rounds is that Iran and Qatar struck some kind of deal, based on the reality that strikes on Qatar stopped around March 20 and Qatari employees were told to return to the office and schools — they had been working from home since March 5.

The $6 billion angle: The rumor says Iran struck some kind of deal with Qatar — likely to halt attacks from US bases there, and maybe to eventually close them — in exchange for a halt to attacks on Qatar, along with the release of $6 billion to Iran. The genesis of that number is that in September 2023, about $6 billion in Iranian funds were transferred to accounts in Qatar as part of a US-Iran prisoner swap.

What Israeli and Western sources are saying: Western diplomatic sources indicate that Doha is attempting to "bribe" Tehran to stop attacks on Qatari territory by unfreezing approximately $6 billion in funds reportedly belonging to the IRGC currently held in Qatari banks. While a Qatari diplomat has officially denied these reports, Western officials believe the offer is a genuine attempt to buy immunity from Iranian strikes.

Supporting evidence: Qatar's Defense Ministry has not announced any Iranian attacks against Qatar since March 19, while Iran has continued to attack other Gulf countries. It appears the return to normalcy in Qatar follows understandings or guarantees that Qatar received from Iran, against the backdrop of Qatar's pro-Iran policies prior to and during the war.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Iran has reportedly decided to avoid targeting Qatar, and in addition to scaling back attacks on Saudi Arabia, strikes against Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE will "continue as usual."

So while nothing is officially confirmed, the circumstantial evidence — the sudden halt in strikes, the return to normalcy, and the $6 billion figure — has given the rumor significant traction in financial markets and diplomatic circles.

This would fit well with the new QR policy of stopping rebooking in other airlines and sticking to QR flights, as they perceive that the danger is much more limited.

Still, this is just a rumor...