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The US has warned governments in the region against dealing with Hamas, with the group looking to relocate its political leadership from Qatar to other countries, including Iraq.
On Monday, sources told The National that the Palestinian group was looking to move its leaders to Iraq as Washington and Doha build pressure to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza war, with negotiations deadlocked.
Critics of the US and Israeli position on the talks say a ceasefire agreement has little chance if Israel insists on the destruction of Hamas.
Baghdad has welcomed the idea of Hamas maintaining a high-profile presence in Iraq, the sources said. But the group has not yet said when the move will happen.
“We have made clear to every government in the region that there should be no more business as usual with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7. And that applies to everyone,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, responding to a question during a briefing on Monday about Hamas's plans to move to Iraq.
Hamas security and logistics teams have travelled to Baghdad to oversee preparations for the move, the sources said, adding that the group plans to retain some form of representation in Doha to oversee relations with Qatar.
Hamas this month opened a representative office in Baghdad led by senior official Mohammed Al Hafy, the sources said. Since then, Mr Al Hafy has attended events organised by Iran-linked political factions and has held meetings with some politicians.
Hamas discussed its plans to leave Qatar with Tehran in March, when the group's political leader Ismail Haniyeh met Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sources told The National on Tuesday.
Hamas's leaders in Qatar, where they have lived since 2012, considered an offer to relocate to Turkey, before deciding on Iraq, the sources said.
"Iraq was preferred over Turkey for two reasons – it's an Arab country and it enjoys close relations with Iran," one of the sources said.
The Hamas-led October 7 attack killed about 1,200 people and more than 37,500 have been killed in Israel's retaliatory bombardment of Gaza. Fears of a wider regional war continue to grow, with more than 400 killed in Lebanon as Israel and Hezbollah exchange cross-border fire.
Late on Monday, senior Hamas official Izzat El Reshiq denied the group planned to move to Iraq, saying in a brief statement that the reports are “allegations”. He did not elaborate.
A Hamas representative in Lebanon also dismissed reports the group planned to leave Qatar. “We consider this part of the media pressure campaign on the movement to make concessions in the negotiations,” he told The National in Beirut.
The Iraqi government did not respond to requests for comment.
Failed talks
If finalised, the move will deepen differences between Baghdad and Washington. The US has accused Iraq of failing to do enough to rein in Iran-backed militias in the country that are openly supportive of Hamas.
Acting within the Axis of Resistance – a coalition of Iran-allied groups across the Middle East – these groups have orchestrated attacks against Israel since the Gaza war began. The groups initially focused their attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria before an “unannounced truce” was reached.
Senior US officials have blamed Hamas for the lack of progress towards a ceasefire, after US President Joe Biden outlined a proposal to end the war.
There has been no significant contact between mediators, Hamas and Israel since talks broke down this month.
Hamas has rejected proposals for the release of hostages – about 115 of whom remain in Gaza – in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees in Israel.
It has repeated its demands that any agreement must provide for a permanent ceasefire in the enclave, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces, the reconstruction of Gaza and the unconditional return of Palestinians displaced by the conflict.
Hamas officials were told they could face expulsion from Qatar and punitive measures, including the freezing of assets outside Gaza, if the group did not show flexibility in negotiations, sources added.
If the militant group's political leaders move to Iraq, it would create further challenges to ceasefire negotiations because Qatar would potentially have less influence on Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007.
Doha, a close ally of Washington and home to the largest US military base in the Middle East, has for years been the main financial backer of the Hamas-led government in Gaza. Iran, which maintains warm relations with Qatar, is also a key supporter of Hamas.
Nada Homsi in Beirut and Hamza Hendawi in Cairo contributed to this report
