During a visit to war-torn Gaza, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff faced strong criticism from Hamas, which denounced his appearance at a Gaza Humanitarian Fund site as a “staged publicity stunt.” The group accused the visit of serving as political theater designed to mislead global opinion and mask the true nature of the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
Hamas reiterated its firm stance against disarmament, insisting it will not lay down arms until Israeli occupation ends and a fully independent Palestinian state is established with Jerusalem as its capital.
The visit came shortly after Witkoff reportedly informed families of Israeli hostages that Hamas had expressed willingness to demilitarize—an assertion the group sharply rebuffed. Hamas accused Witkoff of promoting a distorted narrative and using the trip to provide political cover for what it called Israel’s policy of “managing starvation” in Gaza.
“This visit was nothing but a carefully choreographed show intended to clean up the image of the occupying forces and distract from the deliberate targeting of civilians, including children,” Hamas said in a statement.
‘U.S. Shares Responsibility for Gaza Crisis’
The group further escalated its rhetoric, accusing the Trump administration of complicity in what it described as genocide in Gaza.
“The American administration is fully complicit in the starvation and mass killings happening before the eyes of the international community,” the statement continued.
Hamas also criticized what it called deceptive messaging from Witkoff and the portrayal of aid distribution as peaceful, claiming this imagery stands in stark contrast to the reality on the ground.
Calling for an end to U.S. support for Israel’s military actions, Hamas urged Washington to accept moral and historical responsibility by backing a ceasefire and pressuring Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza.
Reaffirming its militant position, Hamas declared that it would continue armed resistance, saying it will not disarm “as long as the occupation persists.”
