The Iraqi government is planning to receive leadership of Hamas, who have been hiding out in Qatar, into their country, sources revealed on Monday. Last month, Hamas leadership, including political leader Ismail Haniyeh, engaged in talks with the Iraqi and Iranian governments about a change in location. According to The National, this was confirmed by a senior Iraqi politician and a leader of a political party with close ties to an Iranian-supported military group.
Despite reservations from Kurdish and Sunni elements within the Iraqi government, “the government’s decision to host Hamas will not be reversed,” according to the senior Iraqi MP.
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Earlier this month, Hamas opened a political office in Baghdad, and the group is seeking to become more prominently established in the country. Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza have stalled, after Hamas backed away from a proposal by President Biden earlier this month. The move would further complicate peace talks, with Qatar having less influence over Hamas. Qatar had been pressuring Hamas to agree to a permanent ceasefire in the region at the threat of freezing assets and expulsion from Qatar. Three of Hamas’ top ranking leaders are estimated to be worth a combined $11 billion. They are accused of diverting resources meant for humanitarian aid to enrich themselves.
The move could signal a growing relationship between Iran and the Hamas forces fighting in Palestine. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraq and Iran have been deeply intertwined politically. Iran has been increasingly engaged with the fight against Israel, primarily via Hezbollah in Lebanon. While Qatar has been more of a mediating force in the conflict, Iran is a vowed enemy of Israel and the US.
Last week, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that Israel has formally approved a plan to launch an offensive campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Since the start of Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, the Iran-backed forces of Hezbollah and other allied groups in Lebanon have launched multiple drone and missile strikes across Israel’s northern border.
In early June, Israeli Special Forces rescued four hostages in a military operation in central Gaza. At the time of the event, casualties were disputed with Palestinian officials claiming 94 deaths, while Israeli news reported 50 Palestinians had been killed. Neither noted how many were military combatants or civilians.
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