Hamas Official Rejects US Accusations, Slams Trump’s Remarks as Inaccurate

By Al-Ahed News

A senior Hamas official has denounced recent “US” accusations against the Palestinian resistance movement, stating that American statements misrepresent Hamas’s stance and ignore the primary obstacle to a ceasefire: the “Israeli” government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We are appalled by the statements of President Trump and earlier by ‘US’ special envoy Witkoff, which contradict the mediators’ assessment of Hamas’s position,” said Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, in a statement released Saturday.

President Trump had accused Hamas of torpedoing ceasefire talks, vowing on Friday that the group would be “hunted down”. Witkoff also announced Thursday that Washington was withdrawing from its mediation role, alleging that Hamas showed “a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire.”

Al-Rishq, however, dismissed these accusations as inaccurate and politically motivated. He pointed to the positive assessments by key mediators, particularly Qatar and Egypt, who have praised Hamas’s “serious and constructive stance” in the ongoing negotiations.

“These American claims are detached from reality and intentionally overlook the real spoiler—Netanyahu’s cabinet—which continues to deceive, obstruct, and evade all commitments,” Al-Rishq asserted. He emphasized that Hamas has shown consistent flexibility and responsibility in negotiations aimed at ending the war and alleviating Gaza’s suffering.

Responding to “US” claims that Hamas has diverted humanitarian aid, Al-Rishq cited a Reuters investigation revealing flaws in Washington’s assertions. “The ‘US’ State Department accused Hamas of stealing aid without presenting any visual evidence, and at least 44 out of 156 reported aid thefts were actually the result of ‘Israeli’ military actions,” he noted.

Al-Rishq condemned the United States for “whitewashing the ‘Israeli’ regime” and continuing to provide political and military cover for its campaign of “genocide and starvation” against more than two million Palestinians in Gaza.

He called on Washington to “exert genuine pressure on the occupying entity to seriously pursue a deal that ends the aggression and secures a prisoner exchange.”

While indirect talks continue in Qatar, no agreement has yet been reached. Though “Israeli” officials blame Hamas for delays, the resistance movement maintains that Tel Aviv is obstructing progress by refusing to accept the core terms of a sustainable ceasefire.

Central to the negotiations is a proposed prisoner exchange involving the captives taken on October 7, 2023. Of the original 251 captives, 49 remain in Gaza, with the “Israeli” military estimating that 27 of them are dead.

“Israel” continues to demand the dismantling of Hamas’s military and governing structures, while Hamas insists on a permanent ceasefire, full “Israeli” withdrawal from Gaza, and the unimpeded delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid.

Despite “Israel’s” claims that it has accepted both Qatari and updated “US” proposals, no progress has been made—highlighting the deep mistrust and unresolved disputes that continue to stall a breakthrough.