A senior Hamas official currently based in Turkey told Saudi media that the 37th anniversary of the terrorist organization's founding comes during a period of decline due to defeats in Gaza and the broader region.
The official disclosed, "Hamas is suffering from a genuine leadership crisis. The Al-Aqsa Flood attack backfired on us, submerging us in a sea of blood and crises. The most recent blow was the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, with which Hamas had been attempting to rebuild relations."
According to a report by the Saudi news site Elaph, the Syrian government has ordered Palestinian terrorist groups to shut down their offices, hand over their weapons, dismantle training camps, and leave Syria as soon as possible. The primary Palestinian group active in Syria has been the Islamic Jihad. In contrast, Hamas's political bureau left Syria earlier due to its support for Islamist rebels at the start of the Syrian civil war, which sparked a rift with Assad.
Despite this, Elaph reported that senior Hamas official Mohammed Nasser was forced to flee Syria before Syrian rebels captured Damascus. Similarly, Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ziad Nakhaleh and leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) also had to leave Syria.
Nakhaleh recently visited Cairo with a delegation from Islamic Jihad, holding discussions with senior Egyptian intelligence officials about ongoing negotiations for a prisoner exchange deal. He was accompanied by his deputy, Mohammed al-Hindi.
Elaph further reported that it is believed senior leaders of Palestinian terrorist organizations have relocated to Tehran. However, it is expected that they will seek other host countries due to fears of targeted assassinations in Iran, as happened to Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's political bureau chief.
The Hamas official reiterated that the organization's leadership is currently directionless, stating, "Gaza has been completely destroyed." He expressed hope that a prisoner exchange deal might slightly alleviate the leadership's dire circumstances.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Hamas leaders operating from Doha have been instructed to maintain a low profile. They have been asked to halt gatherings and refrain from engaging with journalists outside Qatar. Additionally, foreign delegation visits have reportedly been suspended for the time being.
