Qataris married to nationals of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and UAE can stay

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain will exempt Qataris married to their nationals from a recent expulsion order that came after the countries severed ties with Doha last week, The National reported on Sunday. 

The move appears to be part of efforts to lessen the human toll of the recent rift, which affects many across the GCC. 

It also comes a few days after authorities in the three Gulf countries confirmed they were setting up hotlines to help families with Qatari members. 

King Salman ordered authorities to "take into consideration humanitarian situations of Saudi-Qatari joint families."  

Both the UAE and Bahrain also issued similar directives and statements. 

Qatar also said that citizens of all states that have severed ties with Doha, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, and Libya, will be allowed to stay in the country.

Earlier this week, the General Presidency of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque rejected rumors of a ban on Qatari pilgrims.

In their statement on the matter, they explained that "what is being circulated on social media about banning Qatari pilgrims from entering the Grand Mosque is false.“

"Since 9/9/1438 (June 4), the Kingdom has received 1,633 Qatari pilgrims who performed Umrah,” the statement read.

Since the beginning of the Qatari crisis, the kingdom stressed that it will have no effect on those who want to perform Islamic pilgrimages to the country.