Asenior Hamas official has called for an immediate end to Israel’s war against the group in the Gaza Strip and a plan to achieve Palestinian statehood in remarks shared with Newsweek in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s election victory.
“The election of Trump as the 47th president of the USA is a private matter for the Americans,” Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson Basem Naim told Newsweek, “but Palestinians look forward to an immediate cessation of the aggression against our people, especially in Gaza, and look for assistance in achieving their legitimate rights of freedom, independence, and the establishment of their independent self-sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
“The blind support for the Zionist entity ‘Israel’ and its fascist government, at the expense of the future of our people and the security and stability of the region, must stop immediately,” he added.
When previously in office, Trump forged a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is today engaged in a multifront war against the Iran-aligned Axis of Resistance that began with a large-scale Hamas-led attack against Israel in October 2023. However, Trump has also expressed criticism of Netanyahu’s wartime leadership and has called for a timely end to the conflict.
Reached for comment, an Israeli official told Newsweek that “maintaining and building upon the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel has been a bipartisan feature of American politics since the founding of the Jewish state.”
“We have no doubt that this will continue to be the case,” the Israeli official said. “Going forward, we look forward to a strong working relationship with his administration to bring about a more peaceful, secure and prosperous Middle East.”
With continued signs of disagreement between President Joe Biden and Netanyahu over the course of the war despite sizable U.S. military aid, the Israeli premier was the first to congratulate Trump on what was described as “history’s greatest comeback.”
“Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America,” Netanyahu said in his statement Wednesday.
Netanyahu later spoke with Trump. The conversation was described by the Israeli side as a “warm and cordial” exchange in which the two “agreed to work together for Israel’s security, and also discussed the Iranian threat.”
Newsweek has reached out to Hezbollah and the Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations for comment.
