Hamas Senior Leader Calls for ‘Immediate’ End to War Following Trump’s Election Victory

A senior Hamas official has called for an immediate end to Israel’s military actions against the group in Gaza and proposed a plan for Palestinian statehood, following Donald Trump’s election victory.

Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau and spokesperson, told *Newsweek* that while the election of Trump as the 47th U.S. president is an internal American matter, Palestinians are eager for an immediate halt to the violence in Gaza. He stressed the need for international support to secure Palestinians’ rights to freedom, independence, and the establishment of a sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.

“The unwavering support for the Zionist state of Israel and its fascist government must cease immediately, as it jeopardizes the future of our people and destabilizes the region,” Naim added.

During his previous tenure, Trump developed a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently engaged in a multi-front war with the Iran-backed Axis of Resistance, following a Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023. However, Trump has criticized Netanyahu’s leadership during the conflict and called for a prompt resolution. An Israeli official told *Newsweek* that the U.S.-Israel alliance, regardless of political shifts, has been a bipartisan cornerstone of American foreign policy since Israel’s founding.

“We are confident this will continue,” the official stated, adding that Israel looks forward to working with Trump’s administration to bring about peace and stability in the region. Despite disagreements between President Joe Biden and Netanyahu over the war’s conduct, Netanyahu was the first to congratulate Trump on his electoral victory, calling it “history’s greatest comeback.” In his statement, Netanyahu referred to Trump’s return as a “new beginning” for the U.S. and a renewed commitment to the Israel-U.S. alliance.

Netanyahu later spoke with Trump in what was described as a “warm and cordial” conversation, where they agreed to cooperate on Israel’s security and discussed the Iranian threat. The conflict with Hamas has broadened to include Israeli air and ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, strikes from other Axis of Resistance groups in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, and even direct exchanges between Israel and Iran, making the conflict a contentious issue in U.S. politics. While Biden has continued military aid to Israel, he has faced criticism from both Israeli supporters for not doing enough and from pro-Palestinian groups for not curbing Netanyahu’s actions.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign reflected the Biden administration’s stance, advocating for peace while expressing sympathy for the civilians caught in the fighting, though it rejected calls to halt arms sales to Israel.

On Wednesday, Hamas released a statement demanding an end to Israel’s operations in Lebanon and urged the U.S. to stop providing military support to Israel, calling on the next American president to recognize the Palestinians’ “legitimate rights.”

“The president-elect must listen to the voices within American society calling for an end to the Zionist aggression in Gaza,” the statement said, condemning both the occupation and the genocide.

In contrast, Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who leads the West Bank-based government in competition with Hamas, also congratulated Trump on his victory. Abbas expressed his hope to work with the new administration for regional peace and security and reiterated the Palestinian commitment to freedom, self-determination, and statehood based on international law.

Both Hamas and Abbas were critical of Trump’s Middle East policies during his presidency, particularly his 2018 decision to relocate the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and his 2020 peace plan, which Palestinians widely rejected as biased in favor of Israel. Trump’s proposal would have granted Israel control over Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley while disarming Palestinian factions, recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, and severely limiting Palestinian participation in international organizations.

Though his peace plan failed to gain traction, Trump succeeded in brokering the Abraham Accords, which led to normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.

Trump’s administration also took a hardline stance against Iran, withdrawing from the nuclear deal and ordering the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Since then, Trump has criticized Biden for being too lenient on Tehran and claimed the Hamas war would not have occurred under his presidency. Trump has repeatedly asserted that his foreign policy would focus on preventing further conflict, vowing to “stop wars” rather than start them.

“We want a strong and powerful military, and ideally, we don’t have to use it,” Trump said in his victory speech. “You know, we had no wars for four years. We defeated ISIS in record time.”