US warns Turkey against hosting Hamas' political leaders
The State Department said several Hamas leaders have been indicted in the United States and "should be turned over."
WASHINGTON — The State Department warned Turkey against harboring Hamas amid reports that the Palestinian militant group’s political leaders had relocated to the NATO member country from Qatar.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller did not dispute the reports, first published by Israeli public broadcaster KAN, and said that the United States does not believe “the leaders of a vicious terrorist organization should be living comfortably anywhere."
“We will make clear to the government of Turkey, as we have made clear to every country in the world, that there can be no more business as usual with Hamas,” Miller told reporters Monday.
Miller pointed to a Justice Department indictment unsealed in September against a number of top Hamas officials, including Khaled Meshaal, who were charged with conspiring to murder US nationals on Oct. 7. Twelve Americans were abducted during the Hamas assault on southern Israel, several of whom were freed last year. Of the seven US citizens who remain in Gaza, three are confirmed dead.
“We believe they should be turned over to the United States,” Miller said of the Hamas leaders under indictment.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that Qatar told the Hamas leaders residing in its capital to leave upon request of the United States after the Palestinian militant group rejected yet another hostage-release proposal. The Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed it paused its mediating role in the cease-fire talks, but has distanced itself from what it described as “inaccurate” reports that it shut down the group’s political bureau.
An Arab diplomat with knowledge of the situation said Hamas leaders had relocated to Turkey “as they usually do when there are no talks.” The source, who did not characterize Hamas’ departure from Doha as permanent, said its leaders left the Qatari capital on various commercial flights last week.
An unnamed Turkish diplomatic source denied to Reuters that Hamas had relocated its political headquarters to Turkey, noting that the group’s members “visit Turkey from time to time.”
Unlike the United States, Turkey does not consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization. Its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has referred to Hamas as a “liberation group” and has openly met with its senior leaders. As recently as October, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a meeting with various Hamas political leaders in Istanbul.
The Biden administration has issued multiple rounds of sanctions since Oct. 7 against individuals and sham charities based in Turkey that are accused of providing financial support to Hamas.
