Hamas officials have expressed astonishment over US President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting the group was uninterested in a ceasefire and hostage release agreement for Gaza.
Trump had stated on Friday that “Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal,” following the withdrawal of both Israel and the United States from indirect negotiations with Hamas in Qatar. These talks had reportedly lasted nearly three weeks.
Reacting on Saturday, Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP that the comments were unexpected, particularly given the reported progress made in certain areas of the negotiation. “So far, we have not been informed of any issues regarding the files under discussion in the indirect ceasefire negotiations,” Nunu said.
Nunu, who is closely linked to Hamas’s senior political leadership, also voiced surprise at the decision of Israel and the United States to exit the talks.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had earlier accused Hamas of not “acting in good faith” while announcing the withdrawal of US mediators on Thursday.
In a separate statement, Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s politburo, countered the accusations, asserting that Hamas had shown “flexibility” during the negotiations. He criticized the US for overlooking the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which he claimed was obstructing progress through deception and avoidance of commitments.
Both Hamas representatives urged the US to adopt a more balanced stance as a mediator. Nunu emphasized, “We call for an end to the US bias in favour of Netanyahu, who is obstructing any agreement.”
What you should know
Taher al-Nunu and Izzat al-Rishq are senior Hamas officials who have publicly voiced the group’s dissatisfaction with what they perceive as a skewed US mediation effort in the ongoing Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
