Hamas welcomes Trump’s withdrawal from plans to relocate Palestinians

Hamas has welcomed the US President Donald Trump’s apparent withdrawal from his plan to permanently displace nearly two million Palestinians from Gaza, urging him not to align with the vision of the “extreme Zionist right.”

The statement by the Palestinian militant group comes after Trump on Wednesday (Mar 12) said that “nobody is expelling any Palestinians from Gaza” when asked about it during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin at the White House.

“If US President Trump's statements represent a retreat from any idea of ​​displacing the people of the Gaza Strip, they are welcomed,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said, as quoted by Reuters.

“We call for this position to be reinforced by obligating the Israeli occupation to implement all the terms of the ceasefire agreements,” he added.

Last month, Trump put forward a proposal of the US takeover of Gaza, suggesting Palestinians living in the area should be permanently displaced.

On Sunday (Mar 9), Taher Al-Nono, political adviser to the leader of Hamas, said that the militant group had direct talks with Washington in the Qatari capital last week. He added that the talks focused on the release of an American-Israeli national who was held by Hamas in Gaza.

He said that the meetings, which happened between the US hostage negotiator Adam Boehler and Hamas leaders, also discussed the implementation of the phased truce agreement to end the Israel-Gaza war.

As mediators pushed talks to extend the 42-day truce that started in January, Israel and Hamas hinted that they were preparing for the next phase of the ceasefire negotiations.

A Hamas delegation also held talks with Egyptian mediators and reaffirmed its willingness to negotiate the next phase of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Israeli negotiators held discussions in Doha on Monday (Mar 10).

Under the first phase of the ceasefire deal, the Palestinian militant group handed over 25 living hostages, and eight bodies in exchange for the release of about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack on Israel, taking 251 people captive, out of which 58 still remain in Gaza. The Israeli military confirmed that at least 34 of these captives are dead.