Hamas Rejects Trump Plan Demand for Member Expulsion, Signals Non-Participation in Signing Ceremony
GAZA CITY – hamas officials have vehemently rejected a component of US President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan that would require members of the organization to leave the Gaza Strip, calling the suggestion “absurd and senseless.” The statement, made by Hossam badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, to Agence France-Presse (AFP), underscores the significant hurdles facing the plan’s implementation.
Badran emphasized that any proposal to expel Palestinians from their land, irrespective of affiliation, is unacceptable. He also acknowledged the inherent complexities within the second phase of the trump plan itself.”Talking about expelling Palestinians, whether they are members of hamas or not, from their land is absurd and senseless,” Badran stated.
The rejection comes as preparations continue for a formal signing ceremony of the Gaza peace agreement in Egypt next week, an event President Trump has announced he will attend. Though, Badran confirmed Hamas will not be involved in the signing. “The issue of the official signature… we will not be involved,” he saeid, clarifying that Hamas primarily engaged with qatari and Egyptian mediators throughout the recent ceasefire negotiations.
Adding to the precarious situation, Badran warned that should the peace plan falter and conflict resume, Hamas is prepared to “repel the aggression” from Israel.”We hope not to return to [war],” he said, “but our Palestinian peopel and the resistance force will undoubtedly face and use all their capabilities to repel this aggression if this battle is imposed.”
The developments follow a United Nations proclamation signaling approval for increased aid deliveries into Gaza, a critical step towards alleviating humanitarian concerns in the region. While the UN’s green light represents a positive development, the ongoing political impasse surrounding the Trump plan and Hamas’s firm stance cast a shadow over the long-term prospects for peace and stability in Gaza.
