A senior official of the Hamas terror group said Wednesday that it had restored ties with the Syrian government.
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Khalil Al-Hayya, in charge of Hamas' bureau of Arab and Islamic relations, made the statement at a press conference following a meeting between Syrian President Bashar Assad and a delegation made up of representatives from Hamas and several Palestinian factions in Damascus.
He added that the movement's decision to sever ties with Damascus and its support for the anti-government rebels was a "mistake," adding that the decision to restore relations with the Syrian government was unanimously made by Hamas leadership.
According to a statement issued by the Syrian Presidency after the meeting, Assad reiterated his government's support for the Palestinian cause, while members of the Palestinian delegation expressed their gratitude for the Syrian government's support of the Palestinian people and the sacrifices Syria has made in that regard.
Hamas took over control of the Gaza Strip from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Its headquarters, however, was based in Syria out of fear of Israeli air strikes.
After the crisis broke out in Syria in 2011, the terror group had to make a choice between the leadership and the anti-government rebels. In 2012, it broke ties with the Syrian government and closed its headquarters in Damascus. Hamas' leadership has since been based in Qatar and Turkey.
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