Report Details Billions Funneling to Hamas, Citing Israeli Approval
Hamas received substantial financial support from Iran, Turkey, and primarily Qatar in the years leading up to the October 7th attacks, according to a detailed report. Iran reportedly provided around $100 million annually in funds, weapons, and training, while Turkey served as a base for Hamas's international investment network. Qatar emerged as the largest cash provider, transferring approximately $1.8 billion to Gaza between 2018 and 2023, with the explicit approval and encouragement of then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli intelligence assessments in 2020 explicitly warned that these Qatari funds were financing terrorism. Despite these warnings, and the fact that some funds were allegedly diverted to Hamas's military wing, the cash transfers continued. A New York Times investigation revealed that Netanyahu was personally briefed in 2015 about Hamas's financial mechanisms and reportedly ordered the dismantling of a special unit, "Tzaltzal," tasked with investigating Hamas financing around the same time.
Netanyahu has publicly stated that Qatari funds constituted only 2% of Hamas's financing, a claim the report refutes. The article details how Hamas built its strength through a combination of internal taxation in Gaza, international investments worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and significant external aid. Turkey provided political legitimacy and operational space, granting citizenship and passports to Hamas leaders, while Iran supplied military capabilities and financial aid. Qatar's role was central, providing the bulk of the cash through a mechanism that began with suitcases of cash in 2018 and evolved into a regular monthly transfer.
Internal security agencies, including the Shin Bet and the military, reportedly opposed the Qatari funding mechanism, with former senior official Amos Gilead calling it a "dramatic historical mistake." The rationale behind Netanyahu's policy, as reported, was to prevent a humanitarian collapse in Gaza while simultaneously weakening the Palestinian Authority and hindering progress toward a Palestinian state. The report also highlights the dismantling of the Mossad's "Tzaltzal" unit, which had uncovered Hamas's secret investment portfolio, suggesting a failure to act on critical intelligence.
