Hamas to open office in Baghdad with official approval

Shafaq News/ The Islamic Resistance Movement in Palestine (Hamas) intends to open an office in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

A reliable source informed Shafaq News Agency that an office for relations and media will be opened in Baghdad within the next two days with official government approvals.

The source pointed out that reports about Hamas opening a camp on the outskirts of Baghdad are not true, and the matter is limited to the office of relations and media only.

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas's political chiefs are exploring moving their base of operations out of Qatar as the group faces increasing pressure over hostage-for-truce negotiations.

WSJ report quoted Arab officials saying Hamas has contacted two regional countries about having its leaders live there, one of which is Oman.

In turn, Qatar stated that there were no plans to end the presence of the Hamas office.

"As long as Qatar's mediation efforts continue, there is no justification for ending the presence of the Hamas political bureau in Doha," Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said at that time.

Hamas also has denied reports suggesting that it requested to move its political office from Qatar to Syria.

Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha stated that the group did not seek relocation to Syria or any other country.