Research reveals Qatar’s central role in funding Hamas terror infrastructure

The report draws on internal documents and testimonies indicating that Qatari assistance went well beyond humanitarian aid.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Newly released research challenges Qatar’s role in regional diplomacy, concluding that the Gulf state has functioned not as a neutral intermediary but as an active enabler of Hamas’ military and ideological buildup that culminated in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The study, authored by Lt. Col. (res.) Jonathan D. Halevi and published by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, asserts that Qatar provided Hamas with long-term political protection, sustained financial backing, and ideological reinforcement.

According to the research, this support created the conditions that allowed Hamas to evolve into a heavily armed organization capable of executing one of the deadliest terrorist assaults in Israel’s history.

The report draws on internal documents and testimonies indicating that Qatari assistance went well beyond humanitarian aid.

It alleges that funding and political cover from Doha helped Hamas expand its operational capacity, including the construction of an extensive tunnel network, the development of a domestic weapons industry in Gaza, and the training of thousands of fighters over several years.

These efforts, the research argues, were coordinated toward a large-scale offensive plan that was eventually carried out on October 7.

Halevi writes that Qatar’s backing was not incidental but systematic. “Qatar is not a neutral mediator but rather a state that provided Hamas with political sanctuary, financial lifelines, ideological reinforcement, and global reach,” the study states, adding that such support enabled Hamas to plan and carry out mass-casualty attacks while seeking to expand its campaign beyond Israel’s borders.

Central to the findings is a strategic framework referred to in the documents as the “End of Days Assurance System,” which the research says combined military terrorism, psychological warfare, and a genocidal ideological component.

The plan, developed years in advance, was designed to trigger large-scale escalation and exert maximum pressure on the State of Israel.

The study further notes that Hamas leaders viewed Qatar as a preferred strategic partner. More than a decade ago, senior Hamas figures reportedly took part in meetings in Doha to discuss a so-called “Liberation Strategy,” described in the research as a comprehensive blueprint for Israel’s destruction and its replacement with an Islamic entity.

Halevi said Qatar cultivated an international image as a mediator while simultaneously sustaining Hamas behind the scenes. “Qatar created an image for itself as a mediator and humanitarian player, but in practice, it provided Hamas with a political, economic, and ideological support system,” he said.

He urged governments to reassess their engagement with Doha, warning that ignoring the state infrastructure that enabled the October 7 attack threatens not only Israel but broader regional and international stability.