A senior Hamas official has urged an immediate halt to Israel’s military campaign against the group in Gaza and called for concrete steps toward Palestinian statehood in a statement shared with Newsweek following former President Donald Trump's recent election victory.
"The election of Trump as the 47th president of the United States is an internal matter for Americans," said Basem Naim, a member and spokesperson of the Hamas Political Bureau. "However, Palestinians hope for an immediate end to the aggression against our people, particularly in Gaza, and anticipate support in achieving our legitimate rights to freedom, independence, and the establishment of an autonomous, sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital."
Naim further emphasized, "The uncritical support of the Zionist entity 'Israel' and its extremist government, which disregards the future of our people and the stability of the region, must cease immediately."
During Trump’s previous term, he established a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who now faces a multifront conflict with the Iran-aligned Axis of Resistance that began with a large-scale Hamas-led offensive against Israel in October 2023. However, Trump has voiced some criticism of Netanyahu's wartime approach and advocated for a swift resolution to the conflict.
An Israeli official, when approached by Newsweek, commented, “The special relationship between the U.S. and Israel has been a bipartisan hallmark since Israel’s founding, and we are confident this will continue.” The official added, “We look forward to working with his administration to foster a peaceful, secure, and prosperous Middle East."
Although the Biden administration has continued providing significant military aid to Israel, disagreements have emerged between President Biden and Netanyahu over the direction of the war. Netanyahu was the first world leader to congratulate Trump on what he called "history’s greatest comeback," describing it as a momentous opportunity for renewed U.S.-Israel ties.
Following a conversation described as "warm and cordial," Netanyahu and Trump discussed working together on Israel’s security and shared concerns about the Iranian threat.
The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has since spread to include an Israeli offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, strikes by other Axis of Resistance groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and direct exchanges between Israel and Iran, has become a divisive issue in U.S. foreign policy.
President Biden has faced criticism both from those who feel he hasn’t sufficiently backed Israel and from pro-Palestinian supporters who believe he hasn’t adequately constrained Netanyahu. Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has largely aligned with the Biden administration’s stance, advocating for peace, acknowledging civilian suffering, but rejecting calls to halt arms sales to Israel.
In a statement on Wednesday, Hamas called for an end to Israel’s campaign in Lebanon and urged the U.S. to cease military support and political backing of Israel, emphasizing Palestinian rights. “The American president-elect should heed American voices calling for an end to the aggression on Gaza, denouncing occupation and genocide, and opposing unconditional support for the Zionist entity,” the statement read.
Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also congratulated Trump, expressing hope for collaboration toward peace and stability. He reaffirmed the Palestinian commitment to freedom, self-determination, and statehood under international law, expressing confidence in U.S. support for these aspirations.
During Trump’s previous term, both Hamas and Abbas criticized his policies, including the 2018 U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem and the 2020 “deal of the century,” which proposed contentious terms for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, such as Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and restrictions on Palestinian political engagement.
Though the plan lacked regional support, Trump successfully facilitated the Abraham Accords, establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. His administration also oversaw increased tensions with Iran, particularly with the 2018 U.S. exit from the nuclear deal and the 2020 killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.
Trump has since criticized Biden and Harris for being “too lenient” with Iran, asserting that the Hamas-led conflict would not have occurred under his leadership. Meanwhile, he has accused his Democratic rivals of risking a larger Middle Eastern war, a scenario he has pledged to avoid.
“We want a strong military, but ideally, we won’t need to use it,” Trump said in his victory speech. “In my first term, we had no wars—except for our swift victory against ISIS.”
"They said I would start a war. I’m here to end wars," Trump asserted on Wednesday.
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