Hamas Spokesman Osama Hamdan addresses a press conference in Algeria, January 7, 2025. (X)
Senior Hamas official pushes back on Trump’s warning that there “will be hell to pay” if the terror group doesn’t disarm soon, denies the president’s claim that most Gazans would emigrate if allowed.
By World Israel News Staff
A senior Hamas official on Wednesday rejected demands by President Donald Trump that the Gaza terror group disarm and denied reports that the president has handed down a two-month deadline to comply.
Speaking with Al Jazeera, Hamas spokesman and former envoy to Iran and Lebanon Osama Hamdan responded to comments by Trump during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, ruling out disarmament, which Hamdan called “a leap into the air.”
Ignoring Hamas’ violations of the October ceasefire with Israel, Hamdan claimed Israel has breached the truce agreement, and called on the US to force Israel into compliance.
Pushing back on reports that Trump has given Hamas two months to hand over its weapons or be disarmed by force, Hamdan said that the terror group has received no such message from Washington.
“Nothing has reached us officially, neither from the mediators nor from anyone else,” said Hamdan. “Talking about deadlines for handing over weapons is an American leap into the air in favor of Israel.”
Hamdan reiterated Hamas’ position that it will only consider handing over its arsenal as part of a broader rapprochement with the Palestinian Authority and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“These issues must be agreed upon within the framework of a national consensus.”
When asked about reports that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is a prelude to a mass emigration from Gaza, Hamdan denied polling data and claims by President Trump Monday that a majority of Gazans would leave the Strip if permitted to do so.
“No Palestinian wants to leave their land.”
On Monday, President Trump warned that there will be “hell to pay” if Hamas fails to disarm, adding that the terror group would be given a “very short” timeframe to comply.
It was later reported that Trump and Netanyahu agreed Hamas would be given two months to demilitarize.
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