Reports of Qatar agreeing to a U.S. request to close Hamas’ offices in Doha have raised the possibility of the terror group’s officials being removed from the country entirely.
The Islamist terrorist organization claimed that pressure on Doha to expel its members would complicate cease-fire negotiations in light of Qatar announcing it was freezing its involvement in mediating a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. "This isn’t in U.S. or Israel’s interest," Hamas officials said.
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Zaher Jabarin, Mousa Abu Marzook, Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Mashaal, Ghazi Hamad
(Photo: REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/AP)
Hamas sources told Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat the group favors a model similar to that of the Afghan Taliban, which maintained offices in Qatar while fighting American forces and played a central role in negotiations that led to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Hamas leaders have been based in Qatar since leaving Syria in 2011, following agreements with Doha and between the U.S. and Israel on conditions for their stay. Hamas has backup plans should its leadership be forced to leave Qatar’s capital, including relocating to Turkey, Iran or Lebanon.
Hamas’ leadership believes Turkey offers a suitable base, as Hamas leaders frequently visit Ankara, maintain close ties with the Turkish government and enjoy wide public support, as well as significant aid sent from Turkey to Gaza throughout the war.
Relocation to Iran is also a possibility, though this option could hinder efforts to reach a deal as it would likely strengthen militant elements within Hamas at the expense of more pragmatic voices.
Hamas leaders in Qatar
Hamas’ Qatar-based leadership primarily consists of its politburo. Former bureau head Ismail Haniyeh resided there until his assassination in Tehran in July.
Khaled Mashal is Hamas’ envoy abroad. The U.S. Senate announced that several prominent members have requested federal agencies to extradite Mashaal to the United States and freeze Hamas assets in Qatar.
Mashal’s wealth is estimated at $2-5 billion and he has lived a life of luxury in Doha for the past 10 years. He faced harsh criticism during the war for urging Gazans to hold their ground while he himself moved between Qatar’s upmarket hotels.
Khalil al-Hayya is Hamas’ Gaza envoy and former deputy to former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, serving as his right-hand man. Al-Hayya is considered a key figure in negotiations with Israel, was one of the architects of the October 7 massacre and arrived in Qatar from Gaza shortly before the surprise attack.
Trained by Sinwar to establish good relations with Iran, al-Hayya managed to climb to the top of the group’s hierarchy.
Zaher Jabarin is Hamas’ West Bank envoy and it’s unclear when he moved to Qatar. Jabarin is regarded as Hamas’ “financial mastermind.” He previously held the position of the group’s prisoner portfolio head and served as deputy leader of Hamas in the West Bank until Saleh al-Arouri’s assassination in Beirut in January.
Ghazi Hamad is a member of Hamas’ politburo and left Gaza in August 2023, previously serving as the organization’s deputy foreign policy chief and as an advisor to Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas’ military chief Ahmed Jabari, who was killed in 2012.
Hamad played a role as a mediator for Hamas in the deal to release Gilad Shalit in 2011 and is considered one of the most pragmatic leaders in the organization. While there’s no precise estimate of his wealth, he and his children are known to enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
Mousa Abu Marzouk served as the Hamas politburo’s deputy head until Haniyeh’s assassination, living with his family in Qatar. He lived in the United States for 14 years and was arrested in 1994 for supporting terrorism.
Two years later, he was deported to Jordan, then to Syria and Cairo in 2012. Despite his arrest, Abu Marzouk held onto his assets, with Germany’s Bild newspaper estimating his wealth at $2 billion. According to the Israeli embassy in Washington, he possesses $3 billion. During the war, his brother Yusuf was killed in an attack in Rafah.
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