Hamas's Darwish Declares Trump's Plan for Gaza Null and Void

Muhammad Ismail Darwish, head of Hamas’s Political (Shura) Council, who lives in a luxury hotel in Doha, Qatar, declared in an interview published on the website of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week that that within just one day—or at most 48 hours—half a million Palestinians had returned to their homeland. He described how these individuals, even with nothing, remained steadfast in Gaza, likening their resilience to the enduring nature of olive trees. This statement came after a high-profile visit by Hamas leaders, including Darwish, to Tehran, where they met with the Iranian leadership.

The remarks were a direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to take control of Gaza, a war-torn region that has been devastated by 16 months of conflict. Trump proposed that the U.S. would assume responsibility for Gaza's future, with potential support from other Middle Eastern countries for rebuilding efforts. However, Darwish and Hamas remain firmly opposed to such proposals, viewing them as an attempt to undermine their control over the Palestinian population.

During the meeting with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Darwish reiterated Hamas’s claims of victory over Israel, asserting that despite the challenges and the high cost of the conflict, Hamas had not been destroyed, and the group had successfully maintained a presence in Gaza. He also emphasized that the Palestinian people’s morale remains high and that the displaced population had returned home in a symbolic act of resilience.

Darwish's defiance also extended to the broader political landscape, where he criticized the ongoing normalization efforts between Israel and Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia. He proudly declared that the normalization “train” had come to a halt on October 7, the day the Gaza conflict intensified, and insisted that the Palestinian cause would continue to hinder such agreements.

Furthermore, Darwish’s comments about Iran’s support for Hamas were notable, particularly amid Iran’s internal economic struggles. He claimed that Ayatollah Khamenei had reiterated Iran’s commitment to supporting Hamas, despite Iran's many internal economic and political problems.