France

France Accused of Holding Secret Talks with Hamas in 2020

Published JUL 28 2025

Story

Above: Emmanuel Macron addresses parliament in the Palace of Westminster on July 8, 2025, in London, England. Image credit: Alastair Grant/WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Facts

A senior French intelligence official is alleged to have met with Hamas leaders Mousa Abu Marzouk and Khaled Mashaal on Oct. 16, 2020, in Doha, Qatar, according to a report by Israel's Channel 12, which referenced documents it claims were seized by the IDF in Gaza, though France denies this.
Timesofisrael
JFeed
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The French official, identified as the third-ranking member of French intelligence, allegedly informed Hamas representatives that the meeting had the explicit approval of President Emmanuel Macron.
Jewish News Syndicate (JNS)
The Jerusalem Post
Timesofisrael
Channel 12 reported on Saturday that, during the meeting, the French official expressed criticism of the U.S. handling of the Palestinian issue and stated France wanted to engage with Hamas in addition to the Palestinian Authority.
Israel National News
Hamas leaders allegedly responded by declaring their intent to defeat Israel, stating, "This land is ours, and our resistance and revolution have been going on for more than a century."
Timesofisrael
JFeed
The documents reportedly contain no record of French objection to Hamas's statements about destroying Israel. A French official denied the allegations as "baseless accusations" and called Hamas a terrorist organization that committed "the worst antisemitic massacre of the 21st century."
Jewish News Syndicate (JNS)
The Jerusalem Post
Israel National News
I24News
The report comes after Macron on Thursday announced that France will formally recognize the State of Palestine at the U.N. General Assembly in September.
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Sources Split

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RIGHT

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The Spin

Narrative A

France's alleged secret diplomacy with Hamas terrorists while publicly condemning them shows dangerous duplicity. Meeting with leaders who openly declare their intent to destroy Israel undermines any legitimate peace efforts and rewards terrorism.

Timesofisrael

The Jerusalem Post

JFeed

Narrative B

The timing of this leak is highly suspicious, coming just days after Macron announced France would recognize a Palestinian state. This is likely nothing more than propaganda and Israeli retaliation for France's diplomatic stance, using selectively leaked intelligence to embarrass Paris.

Editor's Note

This story currently has limited reporting from non-Israeli sources. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our coverage as additional perspectives become available.