A senior Hamas leader has rejected recent US accusations that the group stole humanitarian aid intended for Gaza, calling the claims “politically motivated and baseless.”
In an official statement on Saturday, Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Rishq said the accusations were designed to justify new US policies rather than reflect facts on the ground.
“The allegations about Hamas stealing aid are politically motivated and baseless,” Rishq said, pointing to findings from a recent, unpublicized US Agency for International Development (USAID) report.
The USAID study reviewed 156 cases of lost or stolen humanitarian aid between October 2023 and May 2025. It concluded there was no evidence that Hamas benefited from any of the missing supplies.
Despite the findings, claims of aid theft by Hamas have been used by both Israel and the United States to justify a new, privately armed aid delivery program. The operation has drawn heavy criticism after reportedly leading to more than 1,000 deaths among desperate civilians trying to reach food and supplies.
Rishq argued that these narratives are being used to distract from what he called “the real obstacle to any ceasefire or humanitarian agreement: the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”
He also criticized recent statements by President Donald Trump and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, saying their remarks misrepresent the current state of negotiations.
“These statements do not align with the assessments of the mediators and contradict the reality of the negotiation process,” Rishq said.
According to Rishq, Hamas has approached the ongoing talks “with full national responsibility and flexibility,” aiming to reach a deal that “ends the aggression and alleviates the suffering” of the people of Gaza.
He stressed that Hamas’s latest response to the proposed framework was positive, particularly on the topic of aid delivery.
“We insisted that the agreement must ensure the clear and protected flow of humanitarian aid through the UN and its recognized agencies without any interference by the occupation,” he added.
The group also pushed for changes to Israel’s buffer zones in Gaza during a proposed 60-day ceasefire, especially in crowded areas, to make it easier for displaced residents to return to their homes.
Rishq called on Washington to end its “military and political cover for Israel’s ongoing war of extermination and starvation” in Gaza. He urged the US to take a “constructive role” in pressing Israel toward a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal.
Since October 2023, Israeli military actions in Gaza have killed over 59,600 Palestinians, many of them women and children. The attacks have destroyed infrastructure, collapsed hospitals, and triggered a severe hunger crisis.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In addition, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza.
