Editing Hamas (section)

==Foreign relations==
{{See also|Foreign relations of Hamas}}
[[File:Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh meeting Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.jpg|thumb|Hamas leader [[Ismail Haniyeh]] and Iranian Supreme Leader [[Ali Khamenei]] in 2012]]
After winning the Palestinian elections, Hamas leaders made multi-national diplomatic tours abroad. In April 2006, [[Mahmoud al-Zahar]] (then foreign minister) visited Saudi Arabia, Syria, Kuwait, Bahrein, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Libya, Algeria, Sudan and Egypt.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=69}} He met the Saudi foreign minister [[Prince Faysal]]. In Syria he held talks on the issue of Palestinians stuck on the Syrian-Iraqi border.{{Clarify|reason=This is mysterious: In what sense were "Palestinians stuck on" that border (Syria–Iraq) in 2006? Car without petrol? Arrested by police? Intraversable fence? Far too often I find such vague, metaphorical language in this Hamas article, and quite often, like this time, it comes from a book of ms. Seurat, who apparently is dedicated to producing such vague or meaningless language.|date=May 2024}} He also stated that he unofficially met officials from Western Europe in Qatar who did not wish to be named.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=69}} In May 2006, Hamas foreign minister visited Indonesia, Malaysia, the Sultanate of Brunei, Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka and Iran.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=69}} The minister also participated in [[China–Arab States Cooperation Forum]].{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=70}} [[Ismail Haniyeh]] in 2006 visited Egypt, Syria, Kuwait, Iran, Lebanon, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=71}}

Hamas has always maintained leadership abroad. The movement is deliberately fragmented to ensure that Israel cannot kill its top political and military leaders.<ref name="theatlantic.com">{{cite news |last=Schanzer |first=Jonathan |title=How Hamas Lost the Arab Spring |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/06/how-hamas-lost-the-arab-spring/277102/ |website=[[The Atlantic]] |date=21 June 2013}}</ref> Hamas used to be strongly allied with both Iran and Syria. Iran gave Hamas an estimated $13–15&nbsp;million in 2011 as well as access to long-range missiles. Hamas's political bureau was once located in the Syrian capital of Damascus before the start of the Syrian civil war. Relations between Hamas, Iran, and Syria began to turn cold when Hamas refused to back the government of Syrian President [[Bashar al-Assad]]. Instead, Hamas backed the Sunni rebels fighting against Assad. As a result, Iran cut funding to Hamas, and Iranian ally Hezbollah ordered Hamas members out of Lebanon.<ref name="time">{{cite magazine |last=Gidda |first=Mirren |title=Hamas Still Has Some Friends Left |url=https://time.com/3033681/hamas-gaza-palestine-israel-egypt/ |magazine=Time |date=25 July 2014 |access-date=18 October 2023 |archive-date=14 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414135347/http://time.com/3033681/hamas-gaza-palestine-israel-egypt/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hamas was then forced out of Syria, and subsequently has tried to mend fences with Iran and Hezbollah.<ref name="time"/> Hamas contacted Jordan and Sudan to see if either would open up its borders to its political bureau, but both countries refused, although they welcomed many Hamas members leaving Syria.<ref name="al-monitor.com">{{cite news |title=Hamas Ties to Qatar Have Cost |url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/04/hamas-qatar-relationship-independence.html# |date=22 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616195431/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/04/hamas-qatar-relationship-independence.html |archive-date=16 June 2016}}</ref>

From 2012 to 2013, under the short-lived leadership of [[Muslim Brotherhood]] President [[Mohamed Morsi]], Hamas had the support of Egypt. After Morsi was removed from office, his successor [[Abdul Fattah al-Sisi]] outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood and destroyed the tunnels Hamas built into Egypt. In 2015, Egypt declared Hamas a terrorist organization. But this decision was overturned by Egypt in June of the same year.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=108}} There was a rapprochement between Hamas and Egypt, when a Hamas delegation visited Cairo on 12 March 2016.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=109}} Hamas has assisted Egypt in controlling the [[insurgency in Sinai]].{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=109}} Hamas denied Egypt's request to deploy its own militants in the Sinai leading to tensions between the two.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=109}}

Egypt has occasionally served as mediator between Hamas and Fatah, seeking to unify the two factions. In 2017, Yahya Sinwar visited Cairo for 5 weeks and convinced the Egyptian government to open the [[Rafah crossing]], letting in cement and fuel in exchange for Hamas committing to better relations with [[Fatah]]; this subsequently led to the signing of the [[2017 Fatah–Hamas Agreement]].{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=110}}

The United Arab Emirates has been hostile to Hamas, viewing it as the Palestinian equivalent of the Muslim Brotherhood, a designated terrorist organization in the UAE.<ref name="time"/>

Hamas enjoyed close relations with Saudi Arabia in its early years.<ref name=visit/> Saudi Arabia funded most of its operations from 2000 to 2004, but reduced its support due to US pressure.<ref name="CarnegieEndowment20150901" /> In 2020, many Hamas members in Saudi Arabia were arrested. In 2022, Saudi Arabia began releasing Hamas members from prison. In April 2023, [[Ismail Haniyeh]] visited [[Riyadh]], a sign of improving relations.<ref name=visit>{{Cite web|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-arabia-host-hamas-delegation-first-over-decade|title=Saudi Arabia to host first Hamas delegation in over a decade|website=Middle East Eye}}</ref> Haniyeh had long sought to visit Saudi Arabia, and his requests to do so had been long ignored up until then.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=84-85}}

Despite its Sunni Islamist ideology, Hamas has been flexible and pragmatic in its foreign policy, moderating and toning down its religious rhetoric when expedient;{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=185}} it has developed strong ties with Iran,{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=x}} and has also established relations with constitutionally secular states such as Syria and Russia.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=x}}{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=185}} [[Kyrylo Budanov]], the chief of Ukraine's [[Main Directorate of Intelligence (Ukraine)|Main Directorate of Intelligence]], has accused Russia of supporting Hamas by supplying the group with stolen Ukrainian weaponry,<ref name="NYT: UkraineRussia">{{cite web |last1=Bigg |first1=Matthew Mpoke |title=As World's Eyes Shift, Ukraine and Russia Look to Sway Opinions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/world/europe/ukraine-russia-israel-hamas.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=12 October 2023}}</ref> and the [[National Resistance Center of Ukraine]] alleged that the Russian [[Wagner Group]] trained Hamas militants ahead of the 7 October attacks.<ref name="Kyiv: Wagner">{{cite web |last1=Struck |first1=Julia |title=Wagner Trained Hamas Militants for Attack on Israel, Ukrainian Partisans Claim |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/post/22528 |website=[[Kyiv Post]] |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=9 October 2023}}</ref>

According to AP some [[North Korea]]n arms were "likely" used during the 7 Oct assault on Israel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 October 2023 |title=Evidence shows Hamas militants likely used some North Korean weapons in attack on Israel |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-north-korea-weapons-703e33663ea299f920d0d14039adfbb8 |access-date=18 November 2023 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> Ali Barakeh, a Hamas official living in Lebanon, claimed the two are allies.<ref>{{Cite news |last=PACCHIANI |first=GIANLUCA |date=5 November 2023 |title=Hamas official says North Korea is ally, insinuates it could one day target the US |work=[[Times of Israel]] |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-official-says-north-korea-is-ally-insinuates-it-could-one-day-target-the-us/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hamas official says North Korea could attack US over Gaza war |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/baraka-11072023171130.html |access-date=18 November 2023 |website=Radio Free Asia |date=7 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

Hamas leaders reportedly re-established relations with [[Kuwait]], [[Libya]] and [[Oman]], all of which reportedly have not had warm relations with Fatah.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=144}} The cool relationship between Fatah and Kuwait owed to Arafat's support for [[Saddam]] during the [[Gulf War|First Gulf War]], which lead to the [[Palestinian exodus from Kuwait (1990–91)]].{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=144}} This rapproachment is in part due to Hamas's policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries.{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=144}} [[Mahmoud al-Zahar]] stated that Hamas does not "play the game" of siding with one Arab nation against another (e.g. in the [[Gulf War]]).{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=145}} When [[Yusuf al-Qaradawi]], and other Sunni ''[[ulema]]'', called for an uprising against Assad's regime in Syria, Mahmoud al-Zahar maintained that taking sides would harm the [[Palestinian cause]].{{sfn|Seurat|2022|p=224-225}}{{clarify|reason=it's mentioned earlier that Hamas supported Syrian rebels against Assad|date=December 2023}}

After the [[fall of the Assad regime]] in Syria, Hamas congratulated the Syrian people for achieving their "aspirations for freedom and justice," and expressed hope that the [[Syrian caretaker government|new Syrian government]] would continue "its historical and pivotal role in supporting the Palestinian people."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Agencies and ToI Staff |title=Hamas, Islamic Jihad congratulate Syrians on achieving 'freedom and justice' by toppling Assad |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hamas-islamic-jihad-congratulate-syrians-on-achieving-freedom-and-justice-by-toppling-assad/ |date=9 December 2024 |website=Times of Israel}}</ref> In February 2025, Hamas condemned [[Israeli invasion of Syria (2024–present)|Israeli attacks on Syria]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Israel bombs 'military targets' in southern Syria, outside Damascus |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/26/israel-bombs-military-targets-in-southern-syria-outside-damascus |work=Al Jazeera |date=26 February 2025}}</ref>

===Terrorist designation===
[[File:International views on Hamas.svg|thumb|{{legend|#FF0000|Designated Hamas as a terrorist organization}}
{{legend|#FFA500|Designated the military wing of Hamas as a terrorist organization}}]]

The United States designated Hamas as a terrorist organisation in 1995, as did Canada in November 2002,<ref name="AFPC-NA">[https://books.google.com/books?id=9fQ3AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA15 ''The World Almanac of Islamism: 2014''], [[American Foreign Policy Council]]/[[Rowman & Littlefield]], 2014, p. 15.</ref> and the United Kingdom in November 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proscribed-terror-groups-or-organisations--2/proscribed-terrorist-groups-or-organisations-accessible-version|title=Proscribed terrorist groups or organisations|website=GOV.UK|access-date=26 November 2021|archive-date=19 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719150016/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proscribed-terror-groups-or-organisations--2/proscribed-terrorist-groups-or-organisations-accessible-version|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2021, the [[Organization of American States]] designated Hamas as a terrorist organisation.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-051/21 |title=Qualification of Hamas as a Terrorist Organization by the OAS General Secretariat |publisher=oas.org |date=19 May 2021 |access-date=4 September 2024}}</ref> The [[European Union]] so designated Hamas's military wing in 2001 and, under US pressure,{{sfn|Gunning|2004|p=234}} designated Hamas in 2003.{{sfn|Levitt|2006|pp=50–51}} Hamas challenged this decision,<ref>[http://eeas.europa.eu/statements-eeas/2015/150119_01_en.htm Statement by High Representative/Vice-president Federica Mogherini on the decision to appeal the Judgment regarding Hamas], 19 January 2015</ref> which was upheld by the [[European Court of Justice]] in July 2017.<ref name="Reuters Court">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-palestinians-hamas-idUSKBN1AB0VE|title=EU court keeps Hamas on terrorism list, removes Tamil Tigers|date=26 July 2017|publisher=[[Reuters]]|quote=The lower court had found that the listing was based on media and internet reports rather than decisions by a "competent authority". But the ECJ said such decisions were not required for groups to stay on the list, only for their initial listing.}}</ref> Japan<ref>According to Michael Penn, ([https://books.google.com/books?id=ly8zBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA205 ''Japan and the War on Terror: Military Force and Political Pressure in the US-Japanese Alliance''], [[I.B. Tauris]] 2014 pp. 205–06), Japan initially welcomed the democratic character of the elections that brought Hamas to power, and only set conditions on its aid to Palestine, after intense pressure was exerted by the Bush Administration on Japan to alter its policy.</ref> and New Zealand<ref name="NZ-r1373-terrorlist">{{cite web |url=http://www.police.govt.nz/advice/personal-community/counterterrorism/designated-entities/lists-associated-with-resolution-1373 |title=Lists associated with Resolution 1373 |publisher=New Zealand Police |date=20 July 2014 |access-date=16 August 2014}}</ref> have designated the military wing of Hamas as a terrorist organisation.<ref>David Sobek,[https://books.google.com/books?id=BiWsx7ClSpEC&pg=PT45 ''The Causes of War''], John Wiley & Sons, 2013 p. 45.</ref> The organisation is banned in Jordan.{{sfn|Levitt|2006|p=49}} In late February 2024, New Zealand re-designated the entire Hamas organisation as a terror entity.<ref name="Beehive 29 Feb 2024">{{cite web |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/nz-designates-entirety-hamas-terrorist-entity |title=NZ designates entirety of Hamas as terrorist entity |date=29 February 2024 |website=Beehive.govt.nz|publisher=[[New Zealand Government]]|access-date=29 February 2024}}</ref> In September 2024, Switzerland approved a draft law on to ban the group.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 September 2024 |title=Swiss government approves draft law to ban Hamas |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-818713 |access-date=4 September 2024 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}}</ref> In April 2025, Paraguay expanded its designation of Hamas as a terrorist organisation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/04/25/paraguay-designates-IRGC-Hamas-Hezbollah/4371745556945/|title=Paraguay hits Iran's IRGC with terrorist designation; expands designations for Hamas, Hezbollah|date=25 April 2025|website=[[United Press International]]}}</ref>

In April 2025, Hamas filed a legal case in Britain appealing its designation as a terrorist group. The filing argues that Hamas has never engaged in an armed operation outside of historic Palestine and is not a threat to Western nations. Hamas politician [[Mousa Abu Marzook]] submitted a written statement arguing, "Hamas is not a terrorist group. It is a Palestinian Islamic liberation and resistance movement whose goal is to liberate Palestine and confront the Zionist project."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Scahill |first1=Jeremy |title=Hamas Launches Unprecedented Legal Case in Britain, Demanding the Government Remove its Terror Designation |url=https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/hamas-terrorism-uk-marzouk |website=Drop Site News |access-date=9 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Siddique |first1=Haroon |title=Hamas calls on UK government to remove it from list of banned terrorist groups |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/09/hamas-calls-on-the-uk-government-to-remove-it-from-list-of-banned-terrorist-groups |website=The Guardian |language=en-gb |date=9 April 2025}}</ref>

Hamas is not regarded as a terrorist organisation by Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran,<ref name="books.google.com">Alethia H. Cook, "The Subtle Impact of Iran on the Flotilla Incident", in Thomas E. Copeland (ed.), [https://books.google.com/books?id=bsuYAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA36 ''Drawing a Line in the Sea: The Gaza Flotilla Incident and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict''], Lexington Books, 2011 pp. 35–44 [36].</ref> Russia,<ref>Robert O. Freedman, 'Russia,' in Joel Peters, David Newman (eds.), [https://books.google.com/books?id=kftqQdNNDWAC&pg=PA331 ''The Routledge Handbook on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict''], Routledge, 2013 pp. 325–33 [331]</ref> Norway,{{efn|"In 2006, Norway explicitly distanced itself from the EU proscription regime, claiming that it was causing problems for its role as a 'neutral facilitator.'"{{sfn|Haspeslagh|2016|p=199}}}} Turkey, China,<ref>David J. Whittaker (ed.), [https://books.google.com/books?id=SOhJQbP77h0C&pg=PA84 ''The Terrorism Reader''], Routledge (2001), 2012, p. 84.</ref> Egypt, Syria, and Brazil.<ref name="Samuel Feldberg pp. 187">Samuel Feldberg,'Israel and Brazil:An Emerging Power and its Quest for Influence in the Middle East,' in Colin Shindler (ed.), [https://books.google.com/books?id=d7f2AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA199 ''The World Powers:Diplomatic Alliances and International Relations Beyond the Middle East''], I.B. Tauris, 2014 pp. 187–99</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2012/11/21/9-questions-about-israel-gaza-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/|title=9 questions about Israel-Gaza you were too embarrassed to ask|first=Max|last=Fisher|date=21 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=6 January 2018}}</ref>{{sfn|Amossy|2017|p=273, n4}} "Many other states, including Russia, China, Syria, Turkey and Iran consider the (armed) struggle waged by Hamas to be legitimate."{{sfn|Brenner|2017|p=203, n.27}}

Tobias Buck, a journalist with the British [[Financial Times]] newspaper wrote in 2012 that Hamas is "listed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and the EU, but few dare to treat it that way" and in the Arab and Muslim world it had lost its pariah status with its emissaries welcomed in capitals of Islamic countries.<ref>{{cite news |last=Buck |first=Tobias |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/80ce6306-348e-11e2-8986-00144feabdc0.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/wvyCq |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Five lessons from the Gaza conflict |work=Financial Times |date=22 November 2012 |access-date=6 January 2013}}</ref> In the early 2010s, Hamas was considered a terrorist group by some governments and academics, others regarded Hamas as a complex organisation, with [[terrorism]] as only one component.<ref>[[Krista E. Wiegand]], [https://books.google.com/books?id=H96cqNJ0fTAC&pg=PA124 ''Bombs and Ballots: Governance by Islamist Terrorist and Guerrilla Groups''], [[Ashgate Publishing]], Revised edition 2013 p. 124. "Officially, Hamas is considered by American and Israeli policymakers and some academics as the epitome of a terrorist group. [...] Due to the gravity and consequences of Hamas's use of terrorism as a tactic, all other aspects of Hamas, including its extensive social services programs and its role as a political party are overshadowed and often ignored by policy makers. Others recognize the complexity of Hamas as an organisation and suggest that Hamas will continue to transform itself into a full political party and eventually disarm and cease all violent tactics. They view Hamas as a complex organisation with terrorism as only one component, which is likely to evolve into a non-violent political party."</ref><ref>Luke Peterson, [https://books.google.com/books?id=nrsbBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA99 ''Palestine-Israel in the Print News Media: Contending Discourses''], [[Routledge]] 2014 p. 99.</ref>

===Israeli policy towards Hamas===
{{See also|Israeli support for Hamas}}
[[Benjamin Netanyahu]] had been Israel's prime minister for most of the two decades preceding the [[Gaza war]], and was criticized for having championed a policy of empowering Hamas in Gaza.<ref name="TOI123"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/06/15/israels-big-new-shift-in-hamas-policy/|title=Israel's Big New Shift in Hamas Policy|work=Foreign Policy|accessdate=28 October 2023|date=15 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/23910085/netanyahu-israel-right-hamas-gaza-war-history|title=Benjamin Netanyahu failed Israel|work=Vox|date=9 October 2023|accessdate=28 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/10/16/how-benjamin-netanyahu-empowered-hamas/|work=The Telegraph|title=How Benjamin Netanyahu empowered Hamas ... and broke Israel|accessdate=28 October 2023|date=16 October 2023}}</ref> This policy was part of a strategy to sabotage a [[two-state solution]] by confining the Palestinian Authority to the West Bank and weakening it, and to demonstrate to the Israeli public and western governments that Israel has no partner for peace.<ref name="CBS11"/><ref>The Jerusalem Post, 12 March 2019 [https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/netanyahu-money-to-hamas-part-of-strategy-to-keep-palestinians-divided-583082#583082 "Netanyahu: Money to Hamas Part of Strategy to Keep Palestinians Divided: 'Now that we are supervising, we know it's going to humanitarian causes," the source said, paraphrasing Netanyahu"]</ref> This criticism was leveled by several Israeli officials, including former prime minister [[Ehud Barak]], and former head of [[Shin Bet]] security services [[Yuval Diskin]].<ref name="CBS11">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/netanyahu-israel-gaza-hamas-1.7010035|title=How Netanyahu's Hamas policy came back to haunt him — and Israel|accessdate=28 October 2023|date=28 October 2023|work=CBS News}}</ref> Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Authority were also critical of Israel under Netanyahu allowing suitcases of Qatari money to be given to Hamas,<ref name="CBS11"/> in exchange for maintaining the ceasefire.<ref name="TOI123"/> The ''[[Times of Israel]]'' reported after the Hamas attack that Netanyahu's policy to treat the Palestinian Authority as a burden and Hamas as an asset had "blown up in our faces".<ref name="TOI123">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-years-netanyahu-propped-up-hamas-now-its-blown-up-in-our-faces/|title=For years, Netanyahu propped up Hamas. Now it's blown up in our faces|work=The Times of Israel|date=8 October 2023|accessdate=28 October 2023}}</ref>

=== Qatar and Turkey ===
{{see also|Qatari support for Hamas|Turkish support for Hamas}}
According to Middle East experts, now Hamas has two firm allies: [[Qatar]] and [[Turkey]]. Both give Hamas public and financial assistance estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.<ref name="time"/> Qatar has transferred more than $1.8 billion to Hamas.<ref name="allies">{{cite news|url=https://www.dw.com/en/who-is-hamas/a-57537872|title=What is Hamas and who supports it?|author=Ehl, David|publisher=Deutsche Welle|date=15 May 2021|access-date=20 March 2024|archive-date=11 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011025905/https://amp.dw.com/en/who-is-hamas/a-57537872|url-status=live}}</ref> Shashank Joshi, senior research fellow at the [[Royal United Services Institute]], says that "Qatar also hosts Hamas's political bureau which includes Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal." Meshaal also visits Turkey frequently to meet with Turkish Prime Minister [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]].<ref name="time"/> Erdogan has dedicated himself to breaking Hamas out of its political and economic seclusion. On [[Television in the United States|US television]], Erdogan said in 2012 that "I don't see Hamas as a terror organization. Hamas is a [[political party]]."<ref name="theatlantic.com"/>

Qatar has been called Hamas' most important financial backer and foreign ally.<ref name="allies"/><ref>{{Cite news|date=19 June 2017|title=Hamas is feeling the pain of Qatar's crisis, and is looking to Egypt for help|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-qatar-hamas-egypt-20170619-story.html}}</ref> In 2007, Qatar was, with Turkey, the only country to back Hamas after the group ousted the Palestinian Authority from the Gaza Strip.<ref name="time"/> The relationship between Hamas and Qatar strengthened in 2008 and 2009 when Khaled Meshaal was invited to attend the Doha Summit where he was seated next to the then Qatari Emir [[Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani]], who pledged $250&nbsp;million to repair the damage caused by Israel in the Israeli war on Gaza.<ref name="al-monitor.com"/> These events caused Qatar to become the main player in the "Palestinian issue". Qatar called Gaza's blockade unjust and immoral, which prompted the Hamas government in Gaza, including former Prime Minister [[Ismail Haniyeh]], to thank Qatar for their "unconditional" support. Qatar then began regularly handing out political, material, humanitarian and charitable support for Hamas.<ref name="al-monitor.com"/>
[[File:Numan Kurtulmuş İsmail Heniye.jpeg|thumb|Haniyeh with Turkish Minister of Culture [[Numan Kurtulmuş]], 20 November 2012]]

In 2011, U.S. President [[Barack Obama]] personally requested that Qatar, one of the U.S.'s most important Arab allies, provide a base for the Hamas leadership. At the time, the U.S. were seeking to establish communications with Hamas and believed that a Hamas office in Qatar would be easier to access than a Hamas bureau in Iran, the group's main backer.<ref name="FTQatar">{{Cite news |title=Qatar reconsiders mediator role between Hamas and Israel |url=https://www.ft.com/content/007b0cce-1778-4ba8-a3c0-0879e8492292 |access-date=26 April 2024 |newspaper=Financial Times|date=18 April 2024 |last1=England |first1=Andrew }}</ref><ref name="SpiegelQatar">{{Cite news |last=Koelbl |first=Susanne |date=2 November 2023 |title=NATO Partner and Hamas Host |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/nato-partner-and-hamas-host-a-39579533-e4a2-400a-a78e-9a8836606ccc |access-date=21 April 2024 |work=Der Spiegel |language=en |issn=2195-1349}}</ref>

In 2012, Qatar's former Emir, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, became the first head of state to visit Gaza under Hamas rule. He pledged to raise $400&nbsp;million for reconstruction.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/23/qatari-emir-welcome-gaza-visit|title=Qatari emir's visit to Gaza is a boost for Hamas|first1=Ian|last1=Black|first2=Harriet|last2=Sherwood|date=23 October 2012|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> Sources say that advocating for Hamas is politically beneficial to Turkey and Qatar because the Palestinian cause draws popular support amongst their citizens at home.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/06/world/meast/mideast-hamas-support/index.html|title=Which Mideast power brokers support Hamas? |first=Josh |last=Levs|date=6 August 2014 |publisher=CNN}}</ref>

Speaking in reference to Qatar's support for Hamas, during a 2015 visit to Palestine, Qatari official Mohammad al-Emadi, said Qatar is using the money not to help Hamas but rather the Palestinian people as a whole. He acknowledges that giving to the Palestinian people means using Hamas as the local contact. Emadi said, "You have to support them. You don't like them, don't like them. But they control the country, you know."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/06/18/414693807/why-israel-lets-qatar-give-millions-to-hamas|title=Why Israel Lets Qatar Give Millions To Hamas|publisher=NPR|date=18 June 2015}}</ref> Some argue that Hamas's relations with Qatar are putting Hamas in an awkward position because Qatar has become part of the regional Arab problem. Hamas says that having contacts with various Arab countries establishes positive relations which will encourage Arab countries to do their duty toward the Palestinians and support their cause by influencing public opinion in the Arab world.<ref name="al-monitor.com"/> In March 2015, Hamas has announced its support of the [[Saudi Arabia]]n-led [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen|military intervention in Yemen]] against the [[Shia Islam|Shia]] [[Houthis]] and forces loyal to former President [[Ali Abdullah Saleh]].<ref>[http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/725241 Hamas supports military operation for political legitimacy in Yemen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807021350/http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/725241 |date=7 August 2016}}. Arab News. 30 March 2015.</ref> In a controversial deal, Israel's government under [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] supported Qatar's payments to Hamas for many years, in the hope that it would turn Hamas into an effective counterweight to the [[Palestinian Authority]] and prevent the establishment of a [[Palestinian state]].<ref name="CNNDec2023">{{Cite web |last1=Elbagir |first1=Nima |last2=Arvanitidis |first2=Barbara |last3=Platt |first3=Alex |last4=Razek |first4=Raja |last5=Ebrahim |first5=Nadeen |date=11 December 2023 |title=Qatar sent millions to Gaza for years – with Israel's backing. Here's what we know about the controversial deal |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/11/middleeast/qatar-hamas-funds-israel-backing-intl/index.html |access-date=6 April 2024 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref name="SpiegelQatar" />

In May 2018, [[Turkish president]] Recep Tayyip Erdoğan [[tweeted]] to the [[Prime Minister of Israel]] [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] that Hamas is not a terrorist organization but a resistance movement that defends the Palestinian homeland against an occupying power. During that period there were conflicts between Israeli troops and Palestinian protestors in the Gaza Strip, due to the decision of the United States to move [[Embassy of the United States, Israel|their embassy to Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/246031|title=Erdogan: Hamas is not a terrorist organization|website=Israel National News|date=16 May 2018}}</ref> Also in 2018 the [[Israel Security Agency]] accused [[SADAT International Defense Consultancy]] (a Turkish [[private military company]] with connections to the Turkish government) of transferring funds to Hamas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Turkish Militias and Proxies |url=https://trendsresearch.org/research/turkish-militias-and-proxies/ |website=trendsresearch |date=25 January 2021 |author1=Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak |author2=Dr. Jonathan Spyer |access-date=17 April 2022 |archive-date=16 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516150904/https://trendsresearch.org/research/turkish-militias-and-proxies/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In February 2020, Hamas leader [[Ismail Haniyeh]] met with Turkish President Erdoğan.<ref>{{cite news|title=US Criticizes Turkey for Hosting Hamas Leaders|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_us-criticizes-turkey-hosting-hamas-leaders/6194990.html|work=VOA News|date=26 August 2020}}</ref> On 26 July 2023, Haniyeh met with Erdoğan and Palestinian Authority President [[Mahmoud Abbas]]. Behind the meeting was Turkey's effort to reconcile [[Fatah]] with Hamas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Erdogan hosts PA's Abbas, Hamas head Haniyeh to prepare for détente talks |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/erdogan-hosts-pas-abbas-hamas-head-haniyeh-to-prepare-for-detente-talks/ |work=The Times of Israel |date=26 July 2023}}</ref> On 7 October 2023, the day of the [[2023 Hamas attack on Israel|Hamas attack on Israel]], Haniyeh was in [[Istanbul]], Turkey.<ref>{{cite news |title=Report: Hamas chiefs were asked to leave Turkey after October 7 attacks |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-hamas-chiefs-were-asked-to-leave-turkey-after-october-7-attacks/ |work=The Times of Israel |date=23 October 2023}}</ref> On 21 October 2023, Haniyeh spoke with Erdoğan about the latest developments in the [[Gaza war]] and the current situation in Gaza.<ref>{{cite news |title=Turkey's Erdogan discussed Gaza with Hamas leader – Turkish presidenc |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-erdogan-discussed-gaza-with-hamas-leader-turkish-presidency-2023-10-21/ |work=Reuters |date=21 October 2023}}</ref> On 25 October 2023, Erdoğan said that Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people.<ref name="Reuters Erdogan"/>

=== United States ===
{{see also|Palestine–United States relations}}

In early 2025, the US' [[Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs]], [[Adam Boehler]], talked directly with Hamas in an attempt to secure the release of American hostages. Following these talks, Boehler said that Hamas had proposed a 5 to 10-year ceasefire and a full prisoner exchange, and told [[Kan 11|Kan News]] that he "does believe" that Hamas would not only lay down its weapons but also leave power in Gaza. He told [[Fox News]] that "Hamas is aiming for a long-term ceasefire. We discussed a cease-fire that includes Hamas disarming, staying out of politics, and ensuring they cannot harm Israel."<ref name=ynet20250312>{{Cite news |last=Crissy |first=Ron |date=12 March 2025 |title=He's Jewish, met with Hamas and was Jared Kushner's college roommate: Meet Adam Boehler |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/b14fmtpiye |access-date=16 March 2025 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}}</ref> Secretary of State [[Marco Rubio]] told reporters that the talks were a "one-off situation in which our special envoy for hostages, whose job it is to get people released, had an opportunity to talk directly to someone who has control over these people and was given permission and encouraged to do so. He did so."<ref name=guardian20250310>{{Cite news |last1=Roth |first1=Andrew |last2=Burke |first2=Jason |date=10 March 2025 |title=US envoy's secret talks with Hamas anger Netanyahu administration |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/10/us-envoy-secret-talks-hamas-anger-netanyahu-administration |access-date=15 March 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250310225206/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/10/us-envoy-secret-talks-hamas-anger-netanyahu-administration |archive-date=10 March 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to [[Ynet]], since he was appointed, Boehler has made several "controversial" proposals, including everything from U.S. commando raids into Gaza "and hinting at the possibility of a long-term cease-fire ("hudna") between Hamas and Israel."<ref name=ynet20250312 />