Is Qatar a regional peacemaker in the conflict between Hamas and Israel or a sponsor of terrorism?

Last week, the world media observed, as senior Hamas leaders arrived in Qatar to elect a new political leader for their group. Delegates came from across the Middle East following the nearly year-long standoff between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.

They were all shocked by the recent killing of the group’s leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in a bomb attack in Tehran that was allegedly orchestrated by Israel. About this IA “FACT” already wrote.  As the lead negotiator in the talks with Israel, Haniya played a crucial role in Hamas, trying to find a compromise between the militants’ desire to move the battlefield to Israeli soil and calls by some of them to negotiate and end the conflict.

The holy place is not empty

Chania’s place, of course, had to be filled quickly. Chania’s funeral was more than a memorial service – it marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new, more extreme stage.  It was not the first time senior Hamas officials gathered to elect a new leader after a surprise funeral. Yes, 20 years ago, they met in Gaza after Israel killed the founder of the group, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Less than a month later, Israel got rid of his successor, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi. But this time, the scale of the crisis and the challenges faced by the associates of the murdered Khania were obviously greater.

According to the Hamas constitution, Abu Omar Hassan, or Mohammed Hassan Darwish – the head of Hamas’s highest advisory body – was the main contender for the position of interim head of the organization until the next elections.

But at the end of the mourning ceremony dedicated to Haniya, the new leader of Hamas was elected Yahya Sinwar, who has already been the leader of the group in Gaza since 2017. The choice came as a surprise to many, but anyone who has followed his career since Israel released him in 2011 in exchange for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit knew he could always lead Hamas one day.

No political leader of Hamas has ever been so close to the armed wing of the group. Despite all this, many may consider his appointment to the most important position in Hamas to be madness. Israeli security services believe Sinwar planned and carried out the attack in southern Israel and is at the top of their wanted list.

“Not all people in the Hamas leadership supported this decision,” a high-ranking Hamas official commented on the appointment. “Some leaders expressed their concern, others insisted on a more moderate person. But in the end he got the majority of votes.”

Brief historical reference

Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, killing around 1,200 people and returning 251 hostages to Gaza. Since then, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, about 40,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured in retaliatory military operations. More than half of the buildings in Gaza were damaged or destroyed, and almost the entire population was forced to leave their homes. Dissent against Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, is growing. The group itself suffered serious losses.

What do the “Muslim Brotherhood” and the “Islamic Resistance Movement” have in common?

The history of Hamas begins with its founding in 1987. Hamas means “Islamic Resistance Movement”. It arose out of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, which has been active in the Gaza Strip since the 1950s. The Brotherhood gained influence through mosques and charitable organizations.

In the 1980s, the Muslim Brotherhood took a more nationalist and activist stance, challenging the influence of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The organization was later renamed Hamas.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, Hamas carried out terrorist attacks and attacks against Israel with the help of suicide bombers. In 2006, he won a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament, defeating the ruling Fatah party. After violent clashes with Fatah in 2007, Hamas took control of Gaza. Israel and Egypt imposed an economic blockade on Gaza.

Hamas has faced military confrontations with Israel, including in the 2012 and 2014 Gaza wars. Reconciliation efforts with Fatah have had limited success.

Diplomatic role of Qatar in relation to Hamas

Most of the senior political leadership of Hamas is in Qatar, and the rest is in Turkey. The Qatari government maintains relations with Hamas in order to promote peace and stability in the region. Despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Qatar has played a role in negotiations and ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hamas. Thus, while ordinary Palestinians suffer, Hamas leaders feel comfortable in Qatar, a country that balances contradictions and maintains close ties with both Western countries and Palestinian groups.

Qatar is the most important financial backer of Hamas and has transferred more than 1.5 billion euros (or 1.8 billion US dollars) to the group. The Qatari government pays Hamas $30 million a month to pay civil servants in Gaza (many of whom are members of Hamas). These money transfers are carried out by Qatar’s ambassador to Gaza, Mohammed al-Emadi, who acts as an intermediary between Gaza, Doha and Israel3.

Unlike some of its Gulf neighbors, Qatar does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel, but has been involved in negotiations and negotiations for the release of hostages related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Thus, Qatar’s financial and political support for Hamas is closely related to its regional relations and commitment to the Palestinian cause. These ties allow Qatar to play a role in negotiations and the provision of humanitarian aid, despite the fact that some countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Consequences of Qatar’s support for Hamas

Qatar’s support for Hamas affects its relations with other Gulf countries. Although some of them, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, consider Hamas a terrorist organization, Qatar maintains ties with the group. Such a position contributes to tensions in the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf and complicates regional politics.

Qatar uses its relationship with Hamas to play the role of mediator in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. He facilitated negotiations and helped conclude ceasefire agreements. In doing so, Qatar positions itself as a regional peacemaker, but it also faces criticism from those who see Hamas as an obstacle to peace.

Qatar’s financial support helps alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Monthly payments to civil servants stabilize the local economy. However, critics argue that this aid indirectly supports the government and military activities of Hamas.

Qatar’s support for Hamas affects its international image. While he stands up for Palestinian rights, he also faces scrutiny from Western countries. Balancing humanitarian efforts with concerns about terrorist financing is a delicate task for Qatar.

Thus, Qatar’s support for Hamas has geopolitical, humanitarian and reputational consequences, shaping its role in the Middle East and beyond.

Is Qatar under pressure to change its stance on Hamas?

Thus, Qatar announced a reassessment of its role in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas. The Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, said that they wanted to use their work to “score political points”. Qatar, along with the US and Egypt, is negotiating a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. However, the talks have reached an impasse, and Qatar is trying to resolve this delay. International pressure on Israel is also growing due to the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Tatyana Morarash