"The people in the Gaza Strip are still politically represented by Hamas, which rules there. But who are the leading figures of this militant Islamist organization, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and others, and where do they live? A closer look shows that they are well connected globally and apparently live a much more luxurious life than the Palestinians.

We talk about the topic with Hans-Jakob Schindler. He is senior director at the Counter Terrorism Project, an organization that seeks answers to international terrorism."

"Palestinian civilians are cowering on the border with Egypt, fearing for their lives, while Hamas is hiding in its tunnels under the Gaza Strip - at least its military wing. The terrorist group's political arm is doing even better: Hamas's leadership is not hiding underground, but abroad. The Hamas leadership seems to particularly like Qatari luxury hotels. Not cheap fun, says Hans-Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project (CEP). 'Of course the gentlemen have to pay rent,' he says in the 'Again Something Learned” podcast from ntv.de. "Qatar is not a cheap country and they don't live on the poverty line.'"

CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler said: "Hamas over the years has made sure that it has several overlapping income streams, so that if you pressure one of them, it can substitute it with others. So the biggest pots really are, until about the beginning of October, anything that went on in Gaza. So any economic activity, but also taxes and levies on any aid money that came into Gaza, this is unfortunately a sad truth. Secondly, strategically, Qatar. $30 million per month was the official sum they admitted, very likely much more than that. In part from the Qatari government, but also Qatari donors directly into the Hams coffers. Iran has already been mentioned, material support within weapons, arms, ammunitions, trainings, but also money. And then we have the investment portfolio. Unfortunately, Hamas is not yet classified by a terrorist organization in many countries of the world..."

CEP CEO Ambassador Mark Wallace interviewed: "The way the Qataris pulled this off is by whitewashing their role in supporting Islamic extremism, by supporting businesses and investing vast sums of hydrocarbon wealth across places in London, in the United States, and elsewhere.

"...The perpetrators of these acts are hiding in plain sight, not even hiding, posted in plain sight in luxury." 

"Qatar has had every opportunity to hand over the perpetrators of Oct. 7 to face justice. It has flatly refused. We at the Counter Extremism Project will continue our campaign for the economic and diplomatic isolation of Qatar until every hostage is released, every Hamas leader is arrested and Qatar makes clear by its actions—not only words—that in the war against terrorism it is on our side.

Joseph Lieberman

Frances F. Townsend

Mark D. Wallace"