In the aftermath of the October 7 terror attack on Israel, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are struggling to provide for basic necessities like food, medicine, and shelter while the top Hamas leadership is allegedly enjoying an opulent lifestyle in a sanctuary located distant from Gaza, a coastal Palestinian enclave that they claim they have been fighting for. The majority of Gaza’s population of over 2 million people live in extreme poverty.
The New York Times reported that just three of Hamas’s top leaders are worth an incredible $11 billion. It is a safe haven for Ismail Haniyeh, Moussa Abu Marzuk, and Khaleed Mashal. They have continued to live a luxurious lifestyle in Qatar, a small but powerful Middle Eastern emirate. Interestingly, there is a sizable American military presence in the nation.
The wealth of the top Hamas officials is said to originate from a number of places, including Qatar, which is said to have been providing them with yearly financial support in order to help the top brass keep control of Gaza.
According to the report, all three leaders were spotted flying in private jets and visiting diplomatic clubs. Additionally, the US-based Israel embassy posted a breakdown of the net worths of the top three leaders on X, a platform that was formerly Twitter.
Marzuk is worth $3 billion, and Haniyeh and Mashal are worth $4 billion. It went on to state that Hamas generates $1 billion in revenue annually.
In a series of interviews, the top Hamas officials stated that they preferred the ongoing conflict with Israel to continue rather than taking control of Gaza.
According to Taher El-Nounou, a media advisor for Hamas, “I hope that the state of war with Israel will become permanent on all the borders and that the Arab world will stand with us.” She also stated that the organization’s objective is “not to run Gaza and to bring it water and electricity and such.”
