After President-elect Donald Trump’s victory Tuesday, a senior Hamas official called for an end to its war against Israel, Newsweek reported Wednesday.
“The election of Trump as the 47th president of the USA is a private matter for the Americans. 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,” Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson Bassam Naim told Newsweek.
Hamas has been at war with Israel since the terrorist organization killed 1,200 civilians on Oct. 7, 2023. The U.S. has been criticized by Hamas for enabling Israel’s mission to eradicate the group by supplying the government with weapons and intelligence.
“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,” Naim said.
During Trump’s first term as president, he nurtured a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Trump achieved significant milestones to further Israel’s interests.
The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, formally normalized diplomatic relationship between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Trump also moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city.
Netanyahu was the first world leader to offer his approval of Trump’s Tuesday victory .
“Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback!” Netanyahu wrote. “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. This is a huge victory. In true friendship.”
Trump has vowed in past statements to bring peace to the Middle East if elected to a second term.
A senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters after the U.S. election: “We urge Trump to learn from [President Joe] Biden’s mistakes.”
