The Times of Israel Daily Briefing Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib: Hamas triggered the Iran war. Now it may outlast the Islamic Republic
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Mar 27, 2026 
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, head of Realign for Palestine at the Atlantic Council, offers a sharp perspective on Gaza and regional shifts. He discusses how October 7 reshaped Gaza into geopolitical ground zero. He covers Hamas’s internal splits, changing ties with Iran, regional proxies beyond Gaza, and complex demilitarization and reconstruction proposals.
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Gaza As The Regional Trigger
- Gaza became the regional flashpoint that exposed and weakened the entire axis of resistance, not just a local battleground.
- Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib links October 7 operations to a domino of setbacks from Hamas to Hezbollah to Tehran, reshaping regional power balances.
Hamas Faces An Internal Pragmatist Versus Hardliner Rift
- Hamas's internal politics split between pragmatists seeking Arab rapprochement and hardliners favoring Iran, a division deepened by recent regional pressure.
- Alkhatib notes arrests and deplatforming of pro-Iran voices in Qatar and a shrinking political horizon for Palestinian armed groups.
Iran Support Shifted From Arms To Transfers
- After October 7 much of Iran's direct material support to Hamas was squeezed to near zero, but financial transfers to cells persisted.
- Alkhatib says remaining Iranian support mainly took the form of bank transfers to foreign accounts controlled by Hamas and West Bank wires.