MAPHEZE SALEH – LIFE LONG TIES TO HAMAS

BY SNN.BZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Mapheze Saleh: A Georgetown Graduate Student with Deep Ties to Hamas

Mapheze Saleh, a first-year graduate student at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, has emerged as a figure of significant controversy due to her familial and professional connections to Hamas, a Palestinian militant group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.

She is married to Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding who was arrested this week by ICE.

Saleh’s background has raised alarm among critics who view her as a potential security concern for both the United States and Israel. Her husband, has also faced scrutiny for promoting Hamas propaganda, Saleh’s direct links to the group—through her own work and her father’s prominent role in Hamas—paint her as a more immediate focal point in this unfolding story.

Mapheze Saleh and her husband Badar Khan Suri standing behind her

A Scholar with a Hamas Pedigree

Saleh, originally from Gaza, boasts an impressive academic resume. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and information from the Islamic University of Gaza and a master’s degree in conflict analysis and peacebuilding from the Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace & Conflict Resolution at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, India. Now pursuing a Master of Arts in Arab Studies at Georgetown, with an expected graduation date of 2026, Saleh has positioned herself as a scholar of regional security and conflict resolution.

Her Georgetown biography highlights her work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Gaza, an entity controlled by Hamas since its violent takeover of the territory in 2007, as a formative experience that deepened her understanding of Palestinian issues.

What sets Saleh apart, however, is her lineage. She is the daughter of Ahmed Yousef, a senior figure in Hamas who has been described as a top political advisor to the group’s late leader, Ismail Haniyeh, assassinated by Israel in July 2024. Yousef’s career within Hamas is well-documented: he served as an advisor to Haniyeh and held roles variably described as a senior official in the Hamas Foreign Ministry. Before returning to Gaza in 2005, Yousef directed the United Association for Studies and Research (UASR), a U.S.-based think tank widely regarded as a Hamas front, founded by senior Hamas operative Musa Abu Marzook. His writings, including co-authoring a book titled The End of the Jewish State: Just a Matter of Time, reflect a staunch ideological commitment to Hamas’s goals, which include the destruction of Israel.

From Gaza to Georgetown: Saleh’s Hamas Ties

Saleh’s own ties to Hamas extend beyond her father’s influence. According to her Georgetown profile, she worked directly with the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Gaza, an experience she credits with shaping her expertise in regional security. Her professional history also includes stints as a researcher at the Qatar Embassy in New Delhi and as a contributing writer for outlets like Al Jazeera, Middle East Monitor, and various Palestinian media—platforms often criticized for amplifying Hamas narratives. Additionally, she served as Executive Director of the Indo-Pal Foundation, an organization advocating for Palestinian rights, further aligning her with pro-Palestinian causes.

Posts on X and reports from groups like the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) allege that Saleh has openly supported Hamas’s actions, including the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and saw hundreds taken hostage. Archived social media activity attributed to her reportedly includes praise for the attack as an “act of resistance,” celebrations of Hamas militants, and anti-American sentiments, such as calling the United States “the plague.” While these claims remain unverified in official court documents, they have fueled calls for her deportation from figures on social media and beyond.

A Controversial Presence in Washington, D.C.

Saleh’s enrollment at Georgetown University, located just miles from the White House and Capitol, has intensified scrutiny of the institution’s admissions processes and its handling of students with ties to designated terrorist organizations. Her marriage to Badar Khan Suri, who has been accused of defending Hamas’s actions and spreading its propaganda online, adds another layer of complexity. Suri, whose research at Georgetown focuses on peace processes in the Middle East, reportedly posted content justifying Hamas’s treatment of Israeli child hostages during the October 7 attack—a stance that has drawn sharp criticism but pales in comparison to Saleh’s direct affiliations.

Critics argue that Saleh’s presence in the U.S., facilitated by a student visa, represents a breach of national security, especially given Hamas’s stated hostility toward both the U.S. and Israel. Her father’s role as a Hamas advisor and her own work with the group’s government in Gaza raise questions about how she cleared the vetting process overseen by the U.S. Department of State and Department of Homeland Security. The Trump administration’s recent crackdown on pro-Hamas students, including a January 2025 executive order to revoke visas of those supporting the group, has amplified demands for Saleh’s removal.

Georgetown’s Silence and the Bigger Picture

Georgetown University has remained largely silent on the matter. After initial reports surfaced, Saleh’s online biography was briefly removed from the university’s website, only to be restored later without comment. The university’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, where Saleh studies, has a history of hosting scholars and students critical of Israel, often supported by funding from Qatar—a nation known for its financial backing of Hamas. This context has led some to speculate that Saleh’s admission may reflect broader institutional tolerance for controversial figures, though no concrete evidence of deliberate oversight has emerged.

As of March 20, 2025, Saleh remains at Georgetown, her case emblematic of a larger debate about free speech, academic freedom, and national security. While her husband, Suri, has drawn ire for his rhetoric, it is Saleh’s direct connection to Hamas—through her father’s leadership and her own professional involvement—that positions her as the more prominent concern. Whether her presence will prompt action from U.S. authorities or Georgetown itself remains uncertain, but her story continues to reverberate as a stark illustration of the intersection between academia and geopolitics.