‘Hamas wants to die, recognition of Palestine meaningless’

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Friday that Hamas did not want a ceasefire deal in Gaza, after Israel and the United States quit indirect negotiations with the Palestinian group.

“It was too bad. Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die,” Trump said.

“Now we’re down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages. And basically because of that, they really didn’t want to make a deal.”

At the same time, Trump dismissed his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state as pointless.

Read more: France defends move to recognize Palestinian state, Gulf States welcome

“He’s a very good guy, I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight,” Trump told reporters, reacting to the French president’s announcement a day earlier to formally recognize the State of Palestine.

GAZA TALKS SHUNNED

Earlier on Thursday, US envoy Steve Witkoff announced that Washington was joining Israel in pulling negotiators back from Gaza peace talks in the Qatari capital, accusing Hamas of not “acting in good faith”.

“We have decided to bring our team home from Doha for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza,” Witkoff posted on social media. “While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith.”

Read more: US, Israel withdraw from Gaza talks, considering alternative options

US ACCUSATIONS REJECTED

On the other hand, a Hamas official on Friday accused Witkoff of distorting reality after he announced Washington’s withdrawal from Gaza truce talks and accused the group of blocking a deal.

“The negative statements of the US envoy Witkoff run completely counter to the context in which the last negotiations were held, and he is perfectly aware of this, but they come to serve the Israeli position,” said Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim in an interview with AFP.