"Hamas reacts to Trump's baseless allegations"
In a recent development, Hamas has firmly rejected President Trump's allegations that it is stealing humanitarian aid in Gaza, labelling these claims as "baseless" and politically motivated. The denial came from senior Hamas official Ezzat al-Rishq, who explicitly denied the accusations [1][2].
According to a statement made by al-Risheq, the U.S. President's repeated claims about Hamas taking and selling aid in Gaza are unfounded and are aimed at diverting attention from Israel's responsibility in the Gaza crisis [1][2].
In response to Trump's concerns about stories of famine in the region, he told news site Axios on February 1, 2025, that Hamas was taking aid that was coming into Gaza. However, no detailed public evidence from the U.S. side supporting these allegations was cited in the sources found [2].
Regarding evidence disputing Trump's allegations, a USAID study examining 156 cases of lost or stolen aid between October 2023 and May 2025 found no indication that Hamas benefited from U.S.-supplied aid. This report contradicts the claims made by the U.S. and Israel, which have been used to justify controversial armed private aid operations in Gaza [2].
Hamas and other mediators assert that these U.S. claims do not align with the realities of ongoing negotiations and serve to obscure Israel's role as an obstacle to ceasefire or humanitarian agreements [2].
Furthermore, Izzat al-Risheq claimed that more than two million people in Gaza are being killed by Israel's policy, and accused Israel and the United States of using food and medicine as weapons against the people of Gaza [1].
In addition, Hamas told Washington to take its moral and legal responsibilities, stop supporting Israel, and stop giving it cover for its crimes against Palestinians, according to Turkey's Anadolu Agency [1].
In summary, Hamas' response to the aid theft accusations is a categorical denial, calling them baseless and politically motivated, emphasizing that such claims shift blame from Israel to Gaza residents [1][2]. The disputing evidence points to a USAID report that found no evidence of Hamas diverting U.S. aid, and international mediators confirm that the allegations contradict negotiation realities [2]. The focus remains on political narratives and disputed interpretations of aid distribution in Gaza.
- Despite repeated claims by President Trump, a USAID study found no indication that Hamas benefited from U.S.-supplied aid, contradicting the claims made by the U.S. and Israel.
- Izzat al-Risheq, a senior Hamas official, accused Israel and the United States of using food and medicine as weapons against the people of Gaza.
- The focus of the dispute remains on political narratives and disputed interpretations of aid distribution in Gaza, with Hamas and other mediators asserting that U.S. claims do not align with the realities of ongoing negotiations.
- In addition to denying the allegations of aid theft, Hamas told Washington to take its moral and legal responsibilities, stop supporting Israel, and stop giving it cover for its crimes against Palestinians.
