It’s Believed That Netanyahu Prefers War Over Prisoners, Hamas Not as Portrayed in West: U.S. Envoy
Washington (Quds News Network)- In a Friday interview with Tucker Carlson, U.S. envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff stated that it is believed that Netanyahu prioritizes war over Israeli prisoners. He also added that Hamas resistance movement is not as portrayed in the West.
Netanyahu Prioritizes War, Not Israeli Prisoners
Witkoff said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more focused on carrying out a war than aaving the lives of Israeli Prisoners in Gaza.
“The rap he gets is that he’s more concerned about the fight than he is about the hostages,” Witkoff said. “I understand how people could make that assessment, but I don’t necessarily agree with it.”
Hamas Not as Portrayed in the West
During the interview, Witkoff argued that Hamas is not as ideologically extreme as often depicted.
“We need to understand what Hamas wants and think about what we can offer them to make them leave,” he said. “At the start of the conflict, we heard that ‘Hamas is an ideology, and they are ready to die.’”
He added that “Once we understand that they want to live, we can talk to them more effectively.”
Witkoff suggested that after ‘demilitarization’, Hamas resistance movement could still have a political role in Gaza. “They need to demilitarize, and then they might also be politically involved,” he said.
Meanwhile, Witkoff praised Netanyahu, who is wanted by the ICC, over his assaults in Gaza and Lebanon.
“We would not be as effective in the region if he didn’t do what he did, not even close,” he said. “I think he did an exceptional job.”
This marks a shift in U.S. rhetoric, as it has consistently labeled Hamas a terrorist organization and echoed Israel’s narrative, which frames the Palestinian resistance as terrorism.
In the past, U.S. officials have largely dismissed the idea of Hamas having any political role in Gaza. Witkoff’s comments suggest a potential reassessment of how the group is perceived, at least in terms of negotiations and long-term stability in the region.
