Hamas reacts to Trump victory, says he must ‘work seriously to stop the war’ in Gaza

The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas said Wednesday that the incoming administration of presidential election winner Donald Trump must “work seriously to stop the war” in the Gaza Strip. 

The declaration comes after a report emerged claiming Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wrap up the conflict by the time he gets inaugurated on Jan. 20 if he had won the election. Trump ultimately prevailed over Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Hamas said, “In light of the initial results showing Donald Trump winning in the U.S. presidential elections,” they believe he is “required to listen to the voices that have been raised by the U.S. public for more than a year regarding the [Israeli] aggression on the Gaza Strip.” 

The incoming Trump administration must “work seriously to stop the war of genocide and aggression against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, stop the aggression against the brotherly Lebanese people, stop providing military support and political cover to the Zionist entity, and to recognize the legitimate rights of our people,” Hamas added. 

Hamas also said the “new US administration must realize that our Palestinian people will continue to resist the hateful [Israeli] occupation and will not accept any path that detracts from their legitimate rights to freedom, independence, self-determination, and the establishment of their independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.” 

A source from the Times of Israel said Trump initially gave the message to Netanyahu about ending the war when the Israeli leader visited him at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, in July. 

The Biden-Harris administration has been largely supportive of Israel, though the White House has spoken out against the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) recent military operations. In October, President Biden demanded a cease-fire shortly before Israel launched military operations in Lebanon.