"Hamas leadership leaves Qatar and stays in Turkey"

Leaders of Palestinian militant Hamas have left Qatar and recently stayed in Turkiye, the Times of Israel and other sources reported, citing Arab sources.

The Politburo office, one of the three pillars of the Hamas organization, has been set up in Doha, Qatar, where its leadership has been based, a change that has been spotted after reports that the U.S. has called on the Qatari government to expel the Hamas leadership.

"For Hamas, Turkiye is a practical option," the Times of Israel said on the 18th local time. "Many of the families of the Hamas leadership already live in Turkiye."

Turkiye has also been the strongest critic of Israel, fully supporting Hamas in relation to the Gaza War.

However, if Turkiye's government formally accepts the Hamas leadership, tensions could rise in relations with the U.S. administration, the Times of Israel noted.

Turkiye is a member of the Western military alliance North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including the United States.

In fact, a diplomatic source in Turkiye said, "Hamas members of the Politburo often visit Turkiye," but distanced themselves from the claims that the Politburo had moved to Turkiye, saying it was not true.

Hamas also issued a statement, dismissing the observation of the relocation of the Politburo, saying, "It is a rumor that the (Israeli) occupation forces are trying to spread."

Qatar, which has been mediating ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas along with the United States and Egypt since the Gaza war broke out in October last year, said it would suspend mediation on the 9th.