Hamas: No plans to leave Damascus

Hamas leader

Enlarge Image

RELATED ARTICLES

• Hamas: Leadership not leaving Damascus
• Growing tensions between Hamas and Syrian regime
• Damascus: Hamas leader escapes assassination attempt

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Monday categorically denied media reports about the departure from Damascus of families of the movement's leaders. According to these reports, these families have secretly left to the Gaza Strip amid the violent events taking place across Syria.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement on Monday, "the movement (headquarters) are still in Syria, and continue to work as usual, following the Palestinian issues, without any significant change." According to Barhoum, the reports about Hamas leaders leaving Syrian territory are just a "failed and miserable attempt to create the strained relationship between the movement and the Syrian regime," pointing out that Hamas has not taken any decision on this matter until this moment.

The Hamas official stressed that the movement is not looking for an alternative to host its leadership.

Reuters news agency quoted diplomats as saying last night that "dozens of Hamas activists quietly returned from Damascus to Gaza Strip within a plan to reduce Hamas' presence in Syria." The report added that Iran has cut its financial assistance to Hamas due to the Palestinian movement's lack of support to al Assad regime.