Turkey’s Erdogan says he does not believe Hamas leaders will leave Qatar

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a joint statement to the media in Baghdad on April 22, 2024. (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / POOL / AFP)
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a joint statement to the media in Baghdad on April 22, 2024. (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / POOL / AFP)

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is quoted by media as saying that he does not believe the Palestinian terror group Hamas will leave its Qatar base, adding he had seen no such signs from Doha either.

Erdogan met with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul on Saturday. Hamas has had an office in Turkey since 2011 when Turkey helped secure the agreement for the group to free Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

It was reported that Hamas’s political chiefs are exploring moving their base of operations out of Qatar, as the Gulf state faces increasing pressure over its influence with the terror group in indirect hostage-for-truce negotiations with Israel.

Citing Arab officials, The Wall Street Journal said Hamas has recently contacted two regional countries about having its leaders live there, one of which is Oman.

The outlet noted that if Hamas leaders were to leave Doha, it could be more difficult for negotiations to be held with the terror group.

Doha has hosted Hamas’s politburo leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, since 2012.

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