Hamas Moves Leadership Operations to Turkey, Eyes Syria Ties
Hamas has shifted the majority of its senior leadership operations from Qatar to Turkey, where it now conducts meetings and coordinates activities, according to multiple sources within the group.
The shift marks a significant development in the Eastern Mediterranean’s security landscape, as Turkish Minute reports that three unnamed Hamas sources confirmed the move to Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. The relocation establishes Turkey as the primary operational hub for Hamas leadership, raising concerns about stability in the region and the implications for Greek and broader Western interests.
Leadership Election Held in Constantinople
Hamas conducted an inconclusive election for the head of its political bureau in Constantinople in May, with plans to resume the process there once voting inside the Palestinian territories concludes. Sources indicated that most Hamas leaders are now spending prolonged periods in Turkey, where meetings on ceasefire negotiations, internal governance, and operational matters take place.
One source characterized the move as an effort to ease pressure on Qatar rather than signaling any rift with Doha. However, another source pointed to security concerns following Israel’s September 2025 strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer but failed to eliminate the group’s senior negotiators.
High-Level Turkish Government Contact
Turkey has maintained regular senior-level engagement with Hamas leadership. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with a delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya in Ankara on March 31, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received a Hamas delegation in Constantinople on April 4. Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın also held discussions with al-Hayya and other officials in Constantinople in January.
Unlike the United States and the European Union, Turkey does not designate Hamas as a terrorist organization, a position that facilitates the group’s operational presence within Turkish territory.
Pursuit of Syrian Ties
The relocation to Turkey has coincided with Hamas efforts to establish closer relations with Syria’s new government, according to Turkish Minute. Hamas recently condemned bombings in Damascus, including explosions that occurred during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit, expressing support for Syria’s leadership and accusing unknown actors of attempting to spread chaos.
A senior Hamas source told Asharq Al-Awsat that developing ties with Syria represents a natural component of the group’s regional relationship strategy. While no official Hamas visit to Syria is currently scheduled, the source suggested one could occur after the Syrian government consolidates its domestic and foreign policy priorities.
Hamas maintained its headquarters in Damascus for years before departing in 2012 after opposing Bashar al-Assad’s violent suppression of the uprising against his rule. The group restored ties with Assad’s government in 2022, then issued congratulations to Syrians following his overthrow in December 2024.
Regional Security Implications
The establishment of Turkey as Hamas’s primary operational base carries significant implications for Eastern Mediterranean security and Greek strategic interests. The concentration of Hamas leadership activities in Constantinople places the organization’s decision-making apparatus within a NATO member state, complicating Western counterterrorism efforts and regional diplomatic relations.
The development also underscores Turkey’s willingness to provide sanctuary to organizations designated as terrorist entities by Western allies, a pattern that raises questions about Turkey’s reliability as a security partner and its commitment to shared alliance objectives.
Hamas is simultaneously preparing to transfer civilian administration in Gaza to an internationally backed committee, though the organization has not agreed to disarm, according to the report.
With information from Turkish Minute
