A senior Hamas official has demanded that Israel immediately halt its military campaign in Gaza and create a Palestinian state. Basem Naim, a member and spokesman of the Hamas Political Bureau, said this in an interview with Newsweek after Donald Trump’s recent electoral victory.
Naim welcomed Trump’s election as “a private matter for the Americans” but stressed that U.S. support for Palestinians’ rights is what matters most. “Palestinians look forward to an immediate end of this aggression against our people, especially in Gaza,” he stated. Naim voiced hope that the new administration would support Palestinian aspirations for independence and the establishment of a sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.
In his speech, Naim further condemned the United States’ policy of “blind support” for Israel and called for a re-evaluation of the policies that the United States follows in the region. He said this past support for Netanyahu’s government has strained regional stability, saying such policies are a blow to Palestinians and regional security.
Since the recent escalation, Israel has faced immense pressure for its response to Gaza and tensions with Iranian-led elements throughout the Middle East. Although Trump and Netanyahu enjoyed a close alliance during Trump’s previous term, the former president has lately expressed concerns about Netanyahu’s wartime policy.
In the words of an Israeli official, contacted by Newsweek: “We look forward to a strong working relationship.” This alliance, as he said, is a “bipartisan feature” of American foreign policy.
Gaza has brought to the forefront long-simmering geopolitical tensions: Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, both demanding more effort toward peace and statehood. Each wants the new U.S. administration to revisit ongoing unresolved issues to stabilize the region.
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