Hamas has strongly rejected the United States’ accusation that it “chose war” by refusing to release hostages, calling the statement a distortion of the facts.
In a response to a claim made by US National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes, who asserted that Hamas could have extended a ceasefire by releasing hostages, Hamas fired back, saying such a statement misrepresents the situation.
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“The claim that ‘Hamas chose war instead of releasing the hostages’ is a complete distortion,” Hamas said in a statement on Saturday.
The militant group asserts that the real issue lies with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom they accuse of sabotaging peace efforts for his political gain, particularly to deflect mounting criticism from Israeli citizens and families of hostages.
The Ceasefire Collapse: Israel Resumes Airstrikes
Tensions escalated on Tuesday when Israel resumed airstrikes and sent troops back into areas that had been evacuated during the ceasefire pause. This move came after weeks of deadlock in negotiations over whether to extend the ceasefire that had been in place since January 19.
Israel insists its military campaign is critical to securing the release of over 60 hostages, whether alive or dead.
Despite this, families of the hostages have been urging a renewed ceasefire, noting that most hostages returned alive during previous truces. The conflicting positions on the path to peace show the divisions between the two sides.
Hamas Accuses US of Complicity in Gaza Conflict
In its statement, Hamas went beyond rejecting the US claims, accusing the American government of complicity in Israel’s military actions.
Hamas argues that the US has aligned itself with Israel’s efforts, labelling the statements as evidence of America’s support for what they call “genocide, starvation, and siege” against the two million Palestinians living in Gaza.
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