Qatar Restricts Hamas Meetings After Al-Hayya Leadership Vote

Qatari security authorities now require Hamas leaders in Doha to obtain advance approval for public meetings and official receptions, according to reports citing Palestinian sources. The restrictions followed Hamas’s election of Khalil al-Hayya, who is aligned with Iran, as political bureau chief, after Qatar reportedly backed Khaled Mashal, who is closer to Doha and the Muslim Brotherhood. The reports describe the measure as Qatar’s response to the leadership outcome and as a reduction in the terrorist organization’s freedom of action inside the emirate. Neither Qatar nor Hamas had issued an official response by publication time.