The Biden administration has warned Turkey against hosting members of Hamas’ leadership, after reports emerged that several senior members of Hamas left Qatar for Ankara last week.
Asked about reports that the Turkish government was hosting the leadership of the organisation’s political wing, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Monday he was not in a position to dispute the claim.
“We don’t believe the leaders of a vicious terrorist organisation should be living comfortably anywhere,” Miller said, adding that this especially applies in the Turkish capital — a “major city of one of our key allies and partners”.
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.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan said that Hamas members departed from Doha to Ankara after the Qatari government announced it was walking away from its previous efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Turkish Foreign Ministry denied the allegations. Ministry sources announced that “members of the Hamas Political Bureau visit Turkey from time to time” but that “the claims that the Hamas Political Bureau has moved to Turkey do not reflect the truth.”
“As a ministry, no meeting took place in our area of responsibility” a statement read.
Qatar abandoned its mediation efforts after growing frustration with a lack of progress on both sides of the conflict in Gaza.
PA Turkey’s search of the Turkish press revealed no news claiming HAMAS has indeed moved shop to Turkey. Ankara is likely to shrug off warnings from the lame-duck Biden administration. However, the Trump team, too, is very likely to share US hostility towards HAMAS and will pressure Ankara to expel them to the US, if American intelligence is reliable.
Ankara has great expectations from the incoming administration, led by the withdrawal of American soldiers from Syria. Erdogan and Trump call each other “friend”, but it is not clear Trump will run to Turkey’s aid in disputes with the US. Recently an appeals court dismissed Halkbank’s plea to quash the lawsuit on charges of the state lender breaking Iran sanctions. A lively dialogue between Erdogan and Trump is certain to issue upon the latter taking office in January, which has the potential to reshape Turko-American relationship, as well as Ankara’s regional ambitions such as removing alleged PKK presence in North East Syria.
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