Question NW4087 to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
21 December 2023 - NW4087
Powell, Ms EL to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Whether he met with Mr Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader based in Qatar and/or any other members of Hamas whilst in Qatar during November 2023; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the full details of their discussions?
Reply:
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) did not meet with Mr Ismail Haniyeh or any member of Hamas during her visit to Qatar in November 2023. It is worth noting that Hamas is headquartered in Qatar and that the organisation is funded by the Government of Qatar. The presence of Hamas has historically been supported by the Government of the United States as the latter required a channel of communication to the organisation. This is part of the reason why Qatar has been able to play a prominent role in negotiating the current humanitarian pause as well as the exchange of hostages and political prisoners between Hamas and Israel.