The ongoing US-Israeli campaign against Iran and Tehran's retaliation has positioned Hamas in a tricky position, having close ties with both Tehran and with actors in the Gulf.
Hamas on Saturday called on Iran to avoid targeting neighboring Gulf countries while also voicing support for the Islamic Republic’s right to retaliate against Israel.
In a statement, the terror group condemned what it called “American-Zionist aggression” against Iran and said Tehran has the right to respond “by all available means” in accordance with international law. But it also urged “the brothers in Iran” to refrain from striking nearby states, a notable appeal amid fears of broader regional escalation.
Hamas said stopping the war was in the interest of the region and the wider Islamic world, and called on states and international organizations to work toward an immediate end to the fighting.
The group also praised efforts by several countries to prevent the conflict from erupting and to prioritize dialogue and diplomacy, while urging regional states to cooperate to stop the war and preserve ties among themselves.
Doha pressures Hamas to condemn Tehran
The ongoing US-Israeli campaign against Iran and Tehran's retaliation have positioned Hamas in a tricky position, having close ties with both Tehran and with actors in the Gulf.
Speaking to The Jerusalem Post earlier this week, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Qatar was furious with Hamas for refusing to condemn Iranian strikes on its territory. Qatar offered Hamas leadership a safe haven for years, leading the IDF to target Hamas leaders in Doha in September last year.
“You can already see the changes happening now,” Sa'ar said. “Iran’s inability to financially support Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis is reshaping the situation in many places across the Middle East.”
Iran and Hamas have a long history of cooperation
Hamas has long benefited from financial and political support from Tehran, which has used the group to advance its regional agenda of destabilizing Israel.
In November last year, the IDF published what it said was clear evidence of Iran supplying Hamas with financial support.
Documents uncovered in Gaza noted Iranian funds being supplied to families of the "dear martyrs in Gaza," while others included details of conversations and discussions that Hamas leaders had about the common interests between themselves and Iran.
Other documents appeared to indicate that Tehran was adopting strategies to provide training and military supplies to Hamas.
According to the IDF, Hamas had also expressed a desire for a four-party alliance with Iran, Hezbollah, and Syria in order to coordinate efforts in media engagement, regional politics, and military tactics.
This alliance was designed to "launch an attack that surprises the enemy from all sides" in "the war to liberate Jerusalem," read a document shared by the IDF.
Israel also uncovered last year an Iranian-directed Hamas network based in Turkey that worked to transfer hundreds of millions of dollars to the terror group's leaders and members across the region.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
