A cache of documents seized by Hamas show that Qatar was involved in funding Hamas and even trying to scupper a regional peace deal, according to a new report from Channel 12.
The papers, which include diary notes from late Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, suggest that payments made to the group with Israel’s blessing were more significant than originally thought in allowing it to fuel its terror operations.
The report claimed that they show that Haniyeh told Qatari foreign minister Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani in 2019 that money was the group’s “main artery”.
It added that, in 2021, he wrote that Qatar’s emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, “agreed in principle to supply the resistance discreetly, but he does not want anyone in the world to know”, saying that the monarch had personally helped raise $11 million “for the leadership of the movement”.
Haniyeh reportedly told Hamas’ then-leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, to “write a letter, in which you will focus on the military campaign, your urgent needs – and dedicate the victory [in the war] to His Highness”.
Other revelations apparently included documents showing that Qatar had intervened to oppose US President Trump’s so-called “Deal of the Century”, which presented a two-state solution with an independent Palestine established in the West Bank.
During a meeting with Hamas leaders in 2020, referencing reports that Oman was considering normalisation with Israel, Al Thani apparently said: “With respect to Palestine – Oman is on one side and we are on the other side.”
Records of the meeting allegedly suggest that Khaled Mashal, Haniyeh’s predecessor as politburo chair, told the emir during the meeting: “We must work together to oppose the Deal of the Century and eliminate it.”
The proposal was rejected by the Palestinian Authority and has largely been forgotten in favour of the new Trump plan for Gaza, which would see US control of the Strip while it is redeveloped, and significant opposition to the recognition of a Palestinian state within the White House.
Meanwhile, the documents also purport to show that Qatar flew Hamas leadership to Iran for the funeral of IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020 and attempted to boost the diplomatic influence of itself, Iran and Turkey in favour of Egypt in the run up to October 7, 2023.
If confirmed, the contents of the documents would appear to contradict claims by the Israeli government, which allowed Qatar to make payments to Hamas, that the emirate’s role was mostly limited to funding for humanitarian assistance.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has previously stated that Qatar is “not an enemy state” and inisted that its cash was not used to finance the October 7 attacks.
However, the Channel 12 report has only added to the criticism from opposition figures as part of the so-called “Qatargate” affair, which has seen several Netanyahu aides – as well as the editor of the Jerusalem Post – arrested over allegedly improper connections to Doha.
Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, two senior members of Netanyahu’s team, have been questioned by police over the alleged transfer of funds between Qatar and the Prime Minister’s Office following claims that high-ranking staff were paid to promote the interests of the Qatari government in Israel.
Netanyahu himself has not been directly implicated in the alleged wrongdoing and has claimed the investigation is a “political witch hunt”.
