The leadership of Palestinian Hamas movement outside Gaza has not yet found an official foothold after the leaders had left Syria, a source said Saturday.

The Islamic movement has formally and informally asked several Arab countries to host its leadership over the past weeks, "but the requests were either neglected or rejected," said the source, a Hamas official, who asked not to disclose his name, said.

Hamas leadership had been based in Damascus since 1999. In 2007, its militants took over control of the Gaza Strip after routing forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. However, the leadership preferred to stay in Syria to remain away from Israel and to overcome movement restrictions that the former Egyptian regime imposed on Hamas officials in Gaza.

Hamas has been buoyed Arab revolts that toppled governments in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, but found itself embarrassed when Syrians moved against President Bashar al-Assad.

Hamas preferred to remain silent regarding the bloodshed in Syria. If supported al-Assad, Hamas will be losing the opportunity to tighten its relations with the post-revolution Arab world. If condemned al-Assad, Hamas will lose support from its main financial backer: Iran.

Most of Hamas leaders now stay temporarily in Jordan, Egypt and Qatar and lack the right to conduct political activities in these countries, the official said.

Those who remained in Syria are 'third-level leaders" whose work involves Palestinian refugee camps there, the official added.

The source noted that Hamas has not officially or completely closed its headquarters in Damascus, and that the movement is disappointed for not being able to open a new headquarter in another capital.

Last week, Khaled Mashaal, the head of Hamas' political bureau, paid an official visit to Jordan for the first time since he was expelled from Amman in 1999. Qatar arranged for the visit, which included a meeting with King Abdullah II.

The source said that the visit to Jordan did not meet Hamas' hope to open a bureau in Amman.