At least three senior Hamas members, along with their managers and drivers, have recently left the Qatar for an unknown destination.
Some of the Hamas leaders are believed to have headed for Algeria - the country that has maintained special relationship with the group…
These departures come after Doha informed Hamas that Qatari authorities would no longer be able to ensure their security citing the threat imposed by Israeli security services.
Reportedly, Qatar has had a “special” relationship with Hamas for years, funding the organization to the tune of millions. But Europe wants Qatari gas, and the US wants Qatari money, so Qatar is not named a “state sponsor of terrorism”.
But Massad will be out to get Hamas leaders whereever they go.
Do you think they will do better than Osama Bin Laden? Hiding in a cave? Incommunicado in a secret compound lost in nowhereland? You wonder if they can be effective leaders under that kind of pressure. Probably not.
Several leaders within Hamas have amassed considerable personal wealth. Khaled Meshal, the leader of Hamas, is estimated to have a net worth of more than $2.6 billion, with accounts in Qatari and Egyptian banks. Ismail Haniyeh, the former Prime Minister of Gaza, has capital estimated at $4 million, while Moussa Abu Marzook, another prominent Hamas leader, is believed to have a fortune between $2-3 billion.
Theoretically, killing the leadership should cause the movement to fail or at least be reduced.
So maybe that’s where they should have started - even in Qatar.
If Israel could kill Hamas leadership, perhaps. But Haniyeh was only one part of Hamas leadership, and arguably not an especially important one for the continuation of the movement. Killing Sinwar and his deputies would be more significant.
Conducting a military strike within the borders of another country is an incredibly hostile act. Israel’s perfectly fine doing that in Lebanon and Iran. Qatar is something else entirely - and they are serving an important role as a middleman between Israel and Hamas, which is necessary for any ultimate resolution of the current phase of conflict between them. There would be enormous downsides to killing Haniyeh in Qatar that are absent in Iran.
Turkey gets interesting. That is where many in leadership are fleeing.
Israel has not claimed the Iran strike. Israel probably did this but it is still unknown. Iran needs an out. Iran has nothing to strike Israel with and a lot to loose.
We are now getting into a war with Hezbollah. American forces will thwart Iran in this war. Israel can not tolerate Hezbollah any longer.
The unpopular Gaza war is winding down. Americans love an underdog. Hezbollah is considered by Americans as an enemy. No love lost.
Again the Islam only stance and warring won’t be tolerated.
I think the Iranians killed Haniyeh. The reason to stop the peace process. That leaves Israel fighting in Gaza and Southern Lebanon. I think the calculus was Iranian.