The Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Hamas has shifted its center of gravity to Turkey in recent months, with senior officials now residing there for extended periods, including those whose families remain in Qatar. According to the report, Hamas's internal elections for the head of the political bureau, held in Istanbul last month, ended without a decision, and the process is expected to continue in Turkey.
The latest reporting from the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat, cited by N12, reveals that Hamas's internal elections for the head of its political bureau, held in Istanbul in May, ended without a decision. The electoral process is expected to continue in Turkey, underscoring the organization's deepening relocation to Turkish soil. This development comes as a follow-up to earlier reports today: at 10:03 Jerusalem, The Zioneer first reported that Hamas had moved its leadership meetings from Qatar to Turkey, and promptly updated that the internal elections were held in Istanbul. A third update at the same time stated that the vast majority of senior Hamas officials now reside in Turkey for extended periods, with all key meetings taking place there.
The thread's reports, all published at 10:03 Jerusalem, evolved from a single-sourced claim about resumed meetings on Turkish soil to more specific details about elections and residential patterns. The initial report, attributed to unnamed sources in Hamas's leadership abroad, indicated that meetings had resumed on Turkish soil and that recent elections were held in Istanbul. A second version, citing the Saudi newspaper, confirmed that the elections were held in May and were inconclusive, with the continuation expected in Turkey. The third version, citing N12's own sources, added that officials' families living in Qatar underscores the shift, as they now spend extended periods in Turkey. The source quality has thus moved from a single Saudi report to additional independent sourcing via N12's own unnamed sources.
The Zioneer has previously reported on Turkey's emerging role as a central hub for Hamas. On June 22, 2026, former Mossad official Oded Eilam warned that Turkey was becoming Hamas's new center of gravity, and he argued Israel should not refrain from covert operations on Turkish soil. On June 18, Hamas confirmed that its delegation, after talks in Cairo, was heading to Turkey for consultations. In a separate development on July 7, an Arab report noted that a Hamas delegation flew from Cairo to Turkey ahead of expanded ceasefire talks. These reports collectively illustrate the shift of Hamas's political and operational activities from Qatar to Turkey.
The current report remains based on a single Saudi newspaper source, cited by N12, and has not been independently corroborated by other news organizations. The inconclusive election outcome means that the leadership of Hamas's political bureau remains unresolved, and it is unclear when the next round of voting will take place or whether a decision will be reached. Additionally, the exact extent of cooperation from Turkish authorities in hosting these activities is not specified in the reports.
4 developments
- StrongHamas says delegation completed Cairo talks, heading to Turkey
- StrongArab report: Hamas delegation flies from Cairo to Turkey ahead of expanded ceasefire talks
- DevelopingHamas awaits Israeli elections amid stalled Phase 2 talks, disappointed with Iran
- DevelopingFormer Mossad official warns Turkey becoming Hamas's new center of gravity
Source and signal
- Internal intake