Deputy Chairman of Hamas’ political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk said Aug. 29 during an interview on Algerian TV channel El Bilad that a Hamas representative office was opened in Algeria a few days earlier, without specifying the exact date. Hamas had submitted a request to the Algerian authorities, which approved and welcomed the idea. Hamas leader Mohammed Othman was appointed supervisor of the office affairs.

Hamas made its announcement during the official six-day visit of some of its leaders to Algeria, including Abu Marzouk, Othman and Hamas’ foreign relations chief Osama Hamdan. The Hamas officials met with Algerian factional, public and official figures during the visit, which took place Aug. 25-31 and included press conferences.

During the closing press conference Aug. 31, Abu Marzouk praised the support that Algeria’s people and government have shown for Palestine and the resistance, and for helping Palestinians under siege in the Gaza Strip.

Ahmed Yousef, the former political adviser to the deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, told Al-Monitor, “By opening an office for Hamas on its territories, Algeria has officially acknowledged the movement. This is a huge political achievement for Hamas despite its shaky regional relations. Algeria constitutes a wide public base that sympathizes with the Palestinian people. I lived in Algeria between 2004 and 2006, and I realize the extent of solidarity between Palestinians and Algerians. Hamas has already implemented its political activities and collected financial donations to help Palestinians under the umbrella of the Algerian Movement of Society for Peace [MSP] that is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Palestinian Authority’s [PA] pressure on Algeria to close Hamas’ office will be fruitless.”