More than 21 months have passed since Hamas massacred Israeli concert-goers on October 7, 2023, yet the ensuing conflict drags on, fueled by Qatar’s sponsorship and the Muslim Brotherhood’s extremist ideology.

Doha’s latest peace proposal — a 60‑day truce in exchange for staggered hostage releases and limited Israeli withdrawals — was swiftly rejected when Hamas, emboldened by its Gulf backers, demanded Israel’s unconditional full retreat to pre‑offensive lines and a permanent ceasefire.

This exposes the ugly truth: Qatar’s Islamist patronage and the Muslim Brotherhood’s fanaticism have empowered Hamas to extort the world with bloodshed and terror.

Hamas is not a misunderstood resistance movement but a jihadist militia born from the Muslim Brotherhood’s hatred of Israel and the West. Its charter still calls for the annihilation of Jews and the establishment of an Islamic state across all historic Palestine. October 7 was no aberration; it was the pure expression of Islamist extremism — a campaign of mass executions, sexual violence, and the abduction of men, women, and children designed to terrorize and manipulate the global conscience. By legitimizing this depravity through negotiation, the world only rewards terror and emboldens the Brotherhood’s radical agenda.

The Mastermind

At the heart of this cycle lies Qatar. For years, Doha has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into Hamas-controlled Gaza, funding tunnels, rocket stockpiles, and the very infrastructure that terrorizes Palestinians and Israelis alike. Under the guise of “humanitarian aid,” Qatar has enriched clerics preaching holy war and provided a safe haven for Brotherhood operatives who spread Islamist propaganda across the region. This ideological warfare — financed by oil wealth — turns cities into battlegrounds and civilians into cannon fodder.

Hostage‑taking has become Hamas’s most potent weapon. By capturing Israeli civilians and parading their families’ anguish on international screens, Hamas extracts political concessions while Qatar launders its image as a “peace broker.” But any deal that leaves Hamas’s command structure intact only guarantees more bloodshed. Every pause in fighting becomes an opportunity for the Brotherhood’s militia to rearm, recruit, and indoctrinate a new generation of extremists.

The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza cannot be separated from Islamist misrule. Hospitals lie in ruins, water and sanitation systems have collapsed, and acute malnutrition stalks children. Yet Hamas hides its rocket caches under schools and hospitals, uses civilians as human shields, and treats aid convoys as targets. Qatar’s money ensures these crimes continue; its airports and media outlets amplify

Brotherhood propaganda while silencing genuine Palestinian voices calling for reform and accountable governance.

Palestinians Hate Hamas, Too

Inside Gaza, brave Palestinians have begun to rise up against their oppressors. Since late March, thousands have marched under the banner “Down with Hamas,” demanding an end to Islamist tyranny and the ascent of real leaders who deliver food, water, and security instead of suicide belts and sermons. Hamas’s response has been brutal — beatings, arbitrary detentions, and public executions — revealing the true face of the Brotherhood’s rule: an authoritarian theocracy that punishes dissent and glorifies war over welfare.

On the world stage, true leaders recognize that peace cannot be built on Islamist terror. Any agreement with Hamas must demand not only a ceasefire but the utter dismantlement of its Islamist apparatus. That means shutting down the extortion tunnels, freezing Qatar’s terror bank accounts, and blacklisting Brotherhood affiliates from every diplomatic table. Only by cutting off the financial and ideological oxygen of Islamism can we hope to end the violence and restore stability.

A Clear Directive

Critics argue that engaging all parties is the path to peace. But when one party’s ideology insists on your destruction, there is no middle ground. The Muslim Brotherhood’s worldview is incompatible with democracy, interfaith coexistence, or basic human rights. To treat Hamas as a legitimate interlocutor is to betray victims everywhere and to embolden extremists from Tehran to Tripoli to Istanbul, each eager to replicate the Brotherhood’s playbook and turn civilian lives into bargaining chips.

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The moral and strategic imperative is clear. We must eradicate Hamas — not negotiate with it. We must dismantle the Brotherhood’s network across the Middle East, sever its funding from Gulf monarchies, and deny it platforms in international organizations. We must support Palestinian voices that reject Islamism, empower secular and moderate leaders, and rebuild Gaza on the principles of individual rights, economic opportunity, and peaceful coexistence.

History shows that appeasing Islamism only breeds more violence. From the fall of Mosul to the rise of ISIS, every compromise with jihadist groups has ended in blood and betrayal. This time, the lesson must be learned. The world must choose moral clarity over political convenience, strength over weakness, and justice over appeasement. Only by eradicating Hamas and its Muslim Brotherhood patrons can we honor the memories of the slain, secure the release of hostages, and pave the way for a genuine, lasting peace in the Holy Land and beyond.

Amine Ayoub, a Middle East Forum fellow, is a policy analyst and writer based in Morocco.