Hamas has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s apparent retreat from his earlier proposal to permanently displace Palestinians from Gaza, calling on Washington to ensure that Israel abides by ceasefire agreements.
“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 on Wednesday.
“We call for this position to be reinforced by obligating the Israeli occupation to implement all the terms of the ceasefire agreements.”
His remarks followed Trump’s statement during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin at the White House, where the US president clarified that “nobody is expelling any Palestinians from Gaza.”
This appeared to be a reversal of his previous position, in which he had suggested a US-administered Gaza and the resettlement of its Palestinian population in neighboring countries.
The shift comes amid growing diplomatic efforts to address the humanitarian crisis and reconstruction in Gaza. On Wednesday, Arab foreign ministers met in Qatar with the US’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to discuss reconstruction plans for the war-torn territory.
A statement from Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the participation of ministers from Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
“The Arab foreign ministers discussed the Gaza reconstruction plan, which was approved at the Arab League Summit held in Cairo on March 4, 2025,” the statement said.
The discussions also touched on continued coordination with the US on rebuilding Gaza.
Ceasefire talks resume
Efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire have also gained momentum, with a fresh round of negotiations beginning in Doha on Tuesday.
According to sources familiar with the matter, direct talks between Hamas and US officials have taken place in the Qatari capital, marking a rare departure from Washington’s long-standing policy of non-engagement with groups it designates as “terrorist organizations.”
Taher al-Nono, a political adviser to the Hamas leadership, confirmed that discussions had included the release of an American-Israeli dual national held in Gaza and the phased implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
A Hamas delegation also met Egyptian mediators in recent days, reiterating its readiness to negotiate the next phase of the ceasefire. Israel has dispatched its own negotiators to Doha as well.
The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire expired earlier this month without an agreement on subsequent stages. Since then, Israel has imposed a full blockade on Gaza for the past 12 days, restricting the entry of food, fuel, and medical supplies—a move widely condemned as an act of collective punishment.
Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has formally backed an Egyptian-led initiative for the reconstruction of Gaza under the Palestinian Authority’s administration.
