Hamas Takes Aim at Kamala Harris Over Gaza Comments

The Palestinian movement doubts the sincerity of Vice President Kamala Harris' calls for a timely end to the war in Gaza and empathy for the plight of Palestinians as she campaigns for the upcoming presidential election, a senior Hamas official told Newsweek.

In her latest interview conducted Monday with the National Association of Black Journalists, Harris said that "I absolutely believe the war has to end and it has to end as soon as possible," touting the White House's efforts to achieve a ceasefire deal.

The comment prompted a number of follow-ups, pressing the Democratic candidate for further details on how she would apply pressure to Israel in order to achieve a deal to end the conflict, limit civilian casualties and support Palestinian statehood.

Harris did not commit to any specific policy changes throughout the interview but reiterated her "support for Israel's ability to defend itself" as well as "the need for Palestinians to have dignity, self-determination and security." The priority, however, was "to get this deal done, and we need to get it done immediately," she said.

The following day, NBC News reported that the Harris campaign began running digital ads in largely Arab American neighborhoods in the Detroit area showcasing remarks on the conflict. One clip featured her vow to "not be silent about human suffering in Gaza" made following her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in July.

But Hamas spokesperson and Political Bureau member Basem Naim called into question Harris' intentions as vice president and presidential candidate.

"I believe that if the American administration was serious and honest about the values it claims of freedom, democracy and human rights, it could stop the war and aggression immediately," Naim told Newsweek.

"Therefore, we believe that what Kamala and her campaign says is to absorb internal anger and improve the chances of winning. And what does 'not being silent' mean practically for the people who are being slaughtered daily or dying of hunger in the Gaza Strip?"

Newsweek has reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign and the U.S. State Department for comment.

The war in Gaza has emerged as one of the most pressing foreign policy issues in the United States since Hamas led an unprecedented large-scale attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, according to Israeli estimates. More than 340 Israeli soldiers have died in the ensuing war, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), along with more than 41,000 Palestinians, as counted by the Palestinian Health Ministry in Hamas-led Gaza.

President Joe Biden's administration has supported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stated war goals of defeating Hamas, ensuring Gaza could no longer pose a threat to Israel and bringing home about 250 hostages, roughly 100 of which remain in Gaza.

At the same time, the White House has repeatedly called on Israel to do more to avoid civilian casualties and increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Biden has also on several occasions expressed skepticism about Netanyahu's seriousness in engaging in negotiations, which continue to falter despite U.S. promises of a near-breakthrough.

Officials of Hamas and Israel have long accused one another of intentionally hindering progress toward a final deal.

Still, the U.S. has remained active in pushing for an agreement, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken making his 10th trip to the Middle East over the past year to meet with his counterpart in Egypt, which is mediating the talks along with Qatar.

"The bottom line is this: The resolution is less a question of substance and more a question of political will," Blinken said during a press conference in Cairo. "And for both parties, it's important to demonstrate that political will to get this agreement concluded."

Naim has previously accused the White House of offering overly positive portrayals of the state of negotiations in order to appease domestic concerns. He told Newsweek last month that the U.S. was looking to "buy time" in order "to cool the regional front" amid soaring tensions and because "they need a ceasefire deal for internal reasons related to the elections."

This is a developing news story. More information will be added as it becomes available.

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