Hamas says seeking to further deepen ties with Iran

Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh has said the Palestinian resistance movement seeks to further strengthen ties with Iran, but it is not interested in talks with the US despite Washington’s request for negotiations.

News ID: 448008

Date: 15 December 2019 - 11:03

RNA - Haniyeh made the comments during a press conference in Istanbul, marking his first trip outside Gaza ever since he took over his current post in 2017, the London-based and Arabic-language newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi reported on Friday.

He said no "communication channels” exist between the movement and the Trump administration despite numerous American attempts to contact Hamas.

Haniyeh also expressed gratitude to Iran, Turkey and Qatar for supporting besieged Palestinians in Gaza and Hamas.

The Hamas leader described relations with Tehran and Hezbollah as good, saying he wished to deepen ties with Iran.

Hamas is also seeking to renew warm ties with Syria, exploring new channels for negotiations between the two sides.

The resistance movement ruptured its ties with Damascus in 2012 after anti-government protests took place in the country.

Haniyeh said Hamas has managed to bypass major hurdles targeting Gaza, such as economic hardships imposed on the strip and Israeli attempts to defeat the Palestinian resistance.

Last month, Israel initiated a military bombing campaign against Gaza. It marked Palestinian resistance groups firing hundreds of rockets into Israel, forcing Tel Aviv to submit to ceasefire conditions set by the Palestinian forces.

Hamas is currently marking the 32nd anniversary of its establishment. The group is part of a larger regional formation of countries and movements known as the "axis of resistance”.

Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi movement along with Syria, Iraq and Iran are the other members.

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