Egypt blocks citizenship for Hamas official's daughter after three siblings approved
The Interior Ministry denied Asmaa Hamad's application under a security clause, despite her being born in 1989.
By Aiko Brooks ·
Egypt’s Interior Ministry has formally denied a citizenship application from Asmaa Hamad, the daughter of senior Hamas political figure Ghazi Hamad. The decision was published in the Official Gazette earlier this week under Ministerial Decree No. 1630 of 2026. The decree explicitly cites security grounds as the basis for the rejection.
The legal basis for the denial is Article 3, Paragraph 2 of Law No. 154 of 2004. This law amended Egypt’s Nationality Law No. 26 of 1975. It grants individuals born to an Egyptian mother and a non-Egyptian father before the 2004 law the right to notify the ministry of their desire to acquire nationality. Hamad, born in 1989, fell under this provision. The law allows the ministry to reject such applications within one year of submission.
Family dynamics in the case appear unusual. A source close to the Hamad family told Egypt’s Al-Manassa that the rejection was surprising. The source noted that three of Asmaa Hamad’s siblings had already obtained Egyptian citizenship through their mother. Asmaa Hamad originally submitted her application while residing in Egypt. Egyptian media reports indicate she has since moved to Qatar with her husband.
Her father, Ghazi Hamad, is a key figure in the Hamas political bureau. He served as a spokesperson for the group and previously managed Gaza’s border crossings. The US Treasury Department sanctioned him in November 2024 for supporting fundraising and weapons smuggling. He has participated in hostage negotiations in Doha since the Israel-Hamas war began after the October 7, 2023, attack.
The Egyptian Embassy in Tel Aviv did not respond to a request for comment regarding the specific security concerns that prompted the denial.
