Hamas documents reportedly show deep ties, coordination between Qatar, terror group

Then-Emir of Qatar Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, center right, and slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, third left, attend a corner stone-laying ceremony at a planned medical center in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya, October 23, 2012. (Ali Ali, Pool/AP)

| Published June 10, 2025

Papers apparently seized in Gaza show Hamas political chief told Doha its funds were the group’s ‘main artery’ and Sinwar wanted more supportive Qatar to take leading role in mediation

Recently uncovered documents have brought renewed attention to the complex web of relationships between Hamas, Qatar, and Iran. Discovered by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during operations in the Gaza Strip, these files reportedly provide detailed insight into a long-standing pattern of cooperation. The revelations have sparked a wave of analysis from intelligence and policy experts seeking to better understand the underlying infrastructure that supports Hamas’s operations.

An Inside Look at the Documents
According to reporting from The Times of Israel and The Algemeiner, the documents in question include internal communications, planning materials, and strategy outlines that allegedly point to years of coordination between Hamas and Qatari officials. The IDF claims these materials were discovered during ground operations in northern Gaza, in locations previously occupied by high-ranking members of the terror organization.

Among the most notable elements, several files reportedly reference direct contact between senior Hamas operatives and Qatari intermediaries. These communications include details about financial transfers, logistical support, and diplomatic messaging. In some cases, names and phone numbers of individuals believed to be Qatari officials were allegedly included.

Financial and Logistical Networks
The documentation reportedly outlines a sophisticated mechanism for moving funds, in which Qatari aid intended for humanitarian purposes is said to have been redirected or exploited to serve Hamas’s internal governance and military aims. Specific references to the use of international aid channels have raised questions about oversight and accountability in these funding processes.

Further material reportedly reveals logistical assistance and operational planning support that is said to involve both Qatari and Iranian actors. Reports suggest that training, weapons acquisition, and cross-border movements were discussed or facilitated through these networks. The nature of this cooperation appears to have been formalized to a degree previously undocumented in open-source intelligence.

Iran’s Role in the Triangular Partnership
While Qatar’s financial and diplomatic connections were emphasized in the documents, Iran’s presence loomed prominently in military and ideological dimensions. Several memos reportedly contain references to Iranian support for Hamas’s armament and tunnel-building strategies. The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and Hezbollah were cited in connection with planning meetings and training sessions allegedly involving Hamas personnel.

The content indicates a potential strategic alliance that operates with shared goals in the region, with Iran providing the military hardware and expertise, Qatar facilitating financial resources and international legitimacy, and Hamas executing operational plans on the ground in Gaza.

International Diplomatic Reactions
The release of these documents, while not officially verified by neutral third parties at the time of reporting, has reportedly been shared with international diplomats and intelligence services. Some responses, particularly from Israeli officials, have highlighted the seriousness of these findings. According to sources, the Israeli government has initiated a diplomatic campaign to bring attention to what it claims is a systemic misuse of international aid and diplomatic cover.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani makes statements to the media with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Doha, Qatar, Oct. 13, 2023. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS

Implications

1. Heightened Diplomatic Scrutiny on Qatar

   • If the documents are authenticated, they may prompt greater international scrutiny of Qatar’s role in Gaza, especially given its involvement in mediation efforts and its strategic relationships with Western allies.

2. Increased Pressure on Iran for Regional Destabilization

   • The reported Iranian military and logistical support to Hamas could reinforce perceptions of Tehran’s central role in coordinating and sustaining anti-Israel militant activity through proxies.

3. Challenges to the Legitimacy of Mediation Efforts

   • The suggestion that Qatari officials were in direct contact with Hamas leadership may complicate Qatar’s credibility as a neutral broker in ceasefire negotiations and hostage deals.

4. Reevaluation of Humanitarian Aid Mechanisms

   • Allegations of diverted humanitarian funds might drive international donors and NGOs to demand stricter oversight, accountability, and transparency in how aid is distributed and monitored in Gaza.

5. Impact on Future Peace Negotiations

   • The potential coordination between Qatar, Iran, and Hamas may undermine efforts toward Israeli–Palestinian peace by exposing external state actors working against a two-state solution or long-term ceasefires.

6. Policy Reassessment Among Western Allies

   • Countries with ties to both Qatar and Israel, such as the U.S. and EU members, may face increased pressure to reassess their diplomatic stances, financial support, and regional policy frameworks.

7. Strategic Shift in Counterterrorism Approaches

   • The reported level of planning and coordination among Hamas, Qatar, and Iran could lead to changes in intelligence-sharing, sanctions policy, and counterterrorism strategy in the region.

8. Potential Strain on Qatar’s Global Image

   • Qatar’s global positioning—as a host of international events, academic institutions, and diplomatic initiatives—could be complicated by the narrative of indirect support to a designated terrorist organization.

Overall Takeaway:

The discovery of documents reportedly detailing extensive coordination between Hamas, Qatar, and Iran introduces new complexity into an already volatile regional landscape. If the information is authenticated, it challenges assumptions about the roles of key state actors in the Israel–Gaza conflict and raises difficult questions about the integrity of international aid, diplomacy, and mediation efforts. The findings may reshape how policymakers, intelligence agencies, and global stakeholders understand the infrastructure sustaining Hamas—and could prompt a broader reassessment of alliances and accountability in Middle Eastern geopolitics.

SOURCES: THE TIMES OF ISRAEL – Hamas documents reportedly show deep ties, coordination between Qatar, terror group

ALGEMEINER – IDF Discovers Docs Revealing Intimate Iran-Hamas-Qatar Partnership Against Israeli-Palestinian Peace: Report

THE JEWISH CHRONICLE – Seized documents ‘show Qatar funded Hamas’ and ‘disrupted Gaza peace deal’