Hamas welcomes Donald Trump's U-turn on Gaza mass expulsion plan; ‘We call for this position…’

Hamas has applauded US President Donald Trump's apparent U-turn from his plan to permanently relocate nearly two million Palestinians from Gaza.

“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 in the statement, as per Reuters.

“We call for this position to be reinforced by obligating the Israeli occupation to implement all the terms of the ceasefire agreements,” he added.

Trump's comments and the Hamas response may help to ease some of the tensions at time when a truce extension between Israel and Hamas is being explored for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian inmates.

International organizations and Palestinian groups have denounced the proposal as ethnic cleansing and forced relocation.

Meanwhile, Egypt's foreign ministry expressed gratitude to Trump for not seeking the removal of Gaza's citizens.

Also Read: Israel's move to cut off Gaza's electricity supply ‘cheap, unacceptable blackmail’, says Hamas

Here's what's next for Hamas and Israel

Taher Al-Nono, the Hamas leader's political adviser, stated on Sunday that the terrorist organisation had undertaken unprecedented, open discussions with Washington in the Qatari capital over the last week, The Jerusalem Post reported. The conversations were centered on the release of an American-Israeli dual national who was being held captive in Gaza.

As mediators moved forward with discussions to extend a 42-day truce that started in January, Israel and Hamas indicated on Saturday that they were getting ready for the next stage of ceasefire negotiations.