The Palestinian group Hamas has issued a statement urging U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to prioritize ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza as his administration prepares to take office. This announcement follows reports that Trump recently advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to work toward a resolution before his inauguration on January 20, after his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris.
In response to Trump’s election win, Hamas expressed hope that the new administration would heed public calls in the U.S. for an end to the military action in Gaza. The group called for the U.S. to "seriously work to stop the war of genocide and aggression" against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas also requested the U.S. to end military support to Israel and to respect "the legitimate rights of our people."
The statement emphasized that Hamas would continue to resist what it describes as "occupation" and would reject any solutions that compromise Palestinian rights to "freedom, independence, self-determination, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."
Trump’s reported statements encouraging a resolution were initially shared during a July meeting with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate.