U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, July 25, claimed that Hamas has no interest in reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, suggesting the militant group is more focused on martyrdom than diplomacy.
“It’s too bad. Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die,” Trump said during an interview, addressing the collapse of recent ceasefire negotiations.
His remarks come after both Israel and the United States withdrew from indirect talks with Hamas, which had been mediated in Qatar. For over two weeks, Qatari negotiators had been shuttling between representatives of Israel and Hamas in Doha, attempting to broker a truce and facilitate the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Despite recalling its delegation from the Qatari capital, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel remains open to a deal. However, Trump placed the blame squarely on Hamas, saying: “Now we’re down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages.”
Trump also weighed in on international responses to the Gaza conflict, particularly criticizing French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent move to recognize a Palestinian state.
“He’s a very good guy, I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight,” Trump said, dismissing the diplomatic significance of Macron’s decision.
The war between Israel and Hamas, which began with the October 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and led to hundreds taken hostage, has dragged on for nearly two years.
Efforts to end the violence and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remain mired in political deadlock.