Hours after the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took impact, a senior Hamas official stated that the militant group was prepared to begin a dialogue with the USA, making a uncommon overture to a rustic that Hamas has lengthy excoriated for supporting Israel.
The feedback made by the official, Mousa Abu Marzouk, who relies in Qatar, recommend that at the very least some senior members of Hamas hope it may possibly interact straight with the incoming Trump administration regardless that the USA has designated Hamas as a terrorist group since 1997.
Mr. Abu Marzouk’s remarks might also point out that Hamas feels buoyed by the cease-fire and believes there may very well be a chance to broaden the group’s worldwide relations.
“We’re ready for a dialogue with America and reaching understandings on the whole lot,” Mr. Abu Marzouk, the primary chief of Hamas’s political workplace, stated in a cellphone interview on Sunday.
Past the USA, quite a few Western international locations additionally take into account Hamas to be a terrorist group, together with Britain and Canada. However Hamas has made some efforts to enhance relations with Western governments, together with by issuing a coverage doc in 2017 that took extra average positions than its founding constitution. The doc known as the institution of a Palestinian state alongside the pre-1967 borders between Israel and the West Financial institution and Gaza a “method of nationwide consensus,” however it additionally rejected recognition of Israel.
The group has refused to surrender violence and acknowledge Israel, and after the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, it was forcefully condemned by the USA and European international locations. The assault, analysts say, was a mirrored image of the ascendancy of hard-line leaders within the group advocating for violent battle over long-term understandings with Israel.
President Trump, nevertheless, has beforehand demonstrated willingness to meet with longtime foes of the USA comparable to Kim Jong-un, the chief of North Korea.
Mr. Abu Marzouk, a local of Gaza and a former resident of Northern Virginia, is a member of Hamas’s political workplace, however it isn’t clear whether or not he speaks on behalf of all senior Hamas leaders, together with Mohammed Sinwar and Izzeldin al-Haddad, hard-line navy commanders in Gaza.
He’s thought-about to be one of many extra pragmatic voices in Hamas and leads Hamas’s international relations workplace. Different senior Hamas officers have invested extra in growing ties with members of the so-called axis of resistance, together with Iran, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and the Houthis in Yemen.
Mr. Abu Marzouk, 74, stated Hamas was additionally able to welcome an envoy from the Trump administration within the coastal enclave, regardless of longstanding American coverage to offer Israel with billions of {dollars} in weapons and defend it at worldwide establishments. Hamas, he added, would even present such a customer with safety.
“He can come and see the individuals and attempt to perceive their emotions and needs in order that the American place will be primarily based on the pursuits of all of the events, and never just one get together,” he stated.
On Saturday, NBC Information reported that Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s Center East envoy, was weighing a go to to Gaza to assist keep the cease-fire settlement, citing an nameless Trump transition official with direct data of the cease-fire course of.
The feedback by the Hamas chief had been in stark distinction to many Hamas statements through the first Trump administration that blasted the relocation of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, the popularity of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, slicing off support to Palestinians, and a peace plan that closely favored Israeli positions.
After the earlier Trump administration offered its plan, Hamas referred to it as “the deal of disgrace.”
One cause Hamas might need to attain out to the USA is to safe the entry of supplies wanted to reconstruct Gaza with out situations that might undermine its potential to stay essentially the most dominant Palestinian group within the territory.
Hamas will possible want to supply some compromises if it needs sufficient support to rebuild Gaza to circulation into the enclave. Till now, Hamas leaders have expressed readiness to surrender civilian governance in Gaza, however with out dismantling its navy wing — a dynamic that analysts have stated could be just like Hezbollah’s function in Lebanon earlier than its final battle with Israel.
Steven Cheung, Mr. Trump’s incoming White Home director of communications, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Mr. Abu Marzouk additionally supplied excessive reward for Mr. Trump for his involvement in serving to dealer the cease-fire settlement between Israel and Hamas and known as him a “severe president.”
“If not for President Trump, his insistence on ending the warfare, and his dispatching of a decisive consultant, the deal wouldn’t have occurred,” stated Mr. Abu Marzouk, referring to Mr. Witkoff.
Whereas the deal requires an eventual “cessation of navy operations and hostilities completely,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has repeatedly recommended that the Israeli navy will resume attacking Hamas after some hostages held by militants are launched.
Alongside Qatar and Egypt, members of the Biden administration, together with White Home official Brett McGurk and C.I.A. director Invoice Burns, performed crucial roles in placing collectively the cease-fire deal. However Mr. Witkoff helped encourage Israel to approve it by telling Mr. Netanyahu that Mr. Trump wished it accomplished, in line with officers briefed on the talks who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate delicate diplomacy.
Nonetheless, Mr. Abu Marzouk insisted Mr. Trump’s function was essential to getting the settlement throughout the end, particularly in making use of strain on Mr. Netanyahu.
“Honestly, Trump will get the credit score for ending the warfare,” he stated.
