Hamas terror leaders hiding across Middle East away from war in Gaza

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Top Hamas officials are hiding out across the Middle East and away from the danger of Israeli's offensive into Gaza.

High-ranking political leaders of the terrorist organization are spread out in Iran, Qatar, Lebanon and Turkey, far away from a battle that started when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel last month, according to an Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate press release.

According to the release, the top Hamas leaders manage budgets, direct terror operations and run public relations campaigns from safe locations away from Gaza, noting that the organization's leaders do all of this while ordinary residents of Gaza are prevented from evacuating or defending themselves.

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Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh, left, Khaled Mashaal and Abu Marzuk (Getty Images)

Israel's ground offensive into Gaza began more than a week ago and has so far claimed the lives of 30 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel. The invasion has also sparked what many have characterized as a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leading to protests in multiple countries and demands for a cease-fire.

The IDF announced Monday that it has reopened an evacuation route for civilians in Gaza to "move south for their safety," noting that Israeli troops are "not at war with the people of Gaza."

"The IDF has repeatedly called on the residents of Gaza City to evacuate from the area, and continues to urge them to do so," the IDF said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid from Egypt enter the Gaza Strip on Oct. 21, 2023. (AP / Fatima Shbair)

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Meanwhile, many of the leaders of Hamas are enjoying safety while continuing to grow more wealthy. According to a post by the Embassy of Israel to the United States last week, multiple leaders of the terror group have net worths in the billions.

The list includes Deputy Chair of the Hamas Political Bureau Abu Marzuk, who has an estimated net worth of $3 billion. Khaled Mashal and Ismail Haniyeh, two senior leaders of Hamas, are estimated to be worth about $4 billion each.

Palestinian Hamas terrorists are seen during a military show. (Chris McGrath / Getty Images / File)

That post, which was shared on X, also notes that many of those leaders live far away from the battlefield in Qatar, helping Hamas pull in upward of $1 billion per year and making it the second-richest terror organization in the world.

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"So, why is Gaza one of the worst places in the world to live?" a video attached to the post asks. "Instead of digging wells to provide clean water to their people, Hamas digs tunnels so their leaders turn a profit off of smuggled goods. The result: 12% of childhood deaths in Gaza are due to contaminated water. So, if they're not using all that money to take care of their citizens, where is it going?"