Hamas Opens the Door to Exiting Power: A Tactical Move or Surrender?

16th May 2025

2 minutes read

Hamas Opens the Door to Exiting Power: A Tactical Move or Surrender?

When options narrow, reassessing the situation becomes inevitable — and this is precisely what Hamas appears to be doing after more than a year and a half of war that has drained Gaza and all parties involved.

The question “Will Hamas relinquish power?” is no longer a hypothetical one. It has now become a negotiable proposition — provided that the response includes a comprehensive ceasefire and solid political guarantees.

This was revealed by a senior Hamas official during an interview with British broadcaster Sky News.

Hamas‘ Conditions

In the interview, on the channel’s website, Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, stated that the movement is currently engaged in direct communication with the U.S. administration, alongside other mediation efforts, in pursuit of a comprehensive agreement to end the war raging in Gaza.

According to Naim, the proposal Hamas submitted to the U.S. and mediators includes the following: A prisoner exchange, full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, launching a large-scale reconstruction effort, without the forced displacement of residents.

A Step Back from Power

Naim also addressed the possibility of Hamas stepping down from governance — which the group seized by force in 2007 when it took control of Palestinian Authority institutions.

He stated: “We have informed the Americans that we are, once again, ready to hand over the government immediately if this war reaches an end.”

He further mentioned that Hamas had “accepted” the Egyptian peace proposal, which calls for the formation of an independent Palestinian body to administer the Gaza Strip.

However, Bassem Naim emphasized that “resistance will remain legitimate” as long as the “occupation” continues.

The U.S. Role

On the American role, the Hamas official expressed optimism about President Donald Trump’s potential to broker a breakthrough.

“We believe President Trump has the will and the capacity to achieve peace if he exerts real pressure on Israel. We are ready to cooperate with him to achieve that goal,” Naim said.

A Different Tone from the White House

However, the White House’s response did not reflect the same conciliatory tone expressed by the Hamas official.

In reaction to the interview, James Hewitt, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, told Sky News that Hamas “has not demonstrated seriousness about peace” and that President Trump “has been clear that Hamas must lay down its arms.”

He added:

“Hamas continues to unjustly hold hostages, including the remains of American citizens, in Gaza prisons — who could be released easily — and it has shown no behavioral change that would indicate an end to attacks on civilians.”