Khalid Meshaal, who leads the Palestinian Hamas movement from overseas, stated that the United States is playing a central role in Israel’s campaign against Hamas. He described the U.S. as the principal driver behind the ongoing conflict, asserting that Washington aims to weaken Hamas, back Israel, and supply it with weapons to press the war forward. Meshaal characterized Israel as an occupying power intent on destroying Hamas and diminishing the support base for the Palestinian movement in Gaza and beyond.
Meanwhile, officials from the American administration claimed that the United States did not dictate the timing or direction of the war with Hamas, insisting that Israel retains autonomy in its strategic choices. The remarks came amid ongoing discussions about coordination and alignment between Washington and Jerusalem in the military operation.
News note: Israeli forces reportedly detained relatives of Saleh al-Aruri, a senior Hamas figure operating in the West Bank, in a raid conducted a day earlier. This action is viewed as part of a broader effort to disrupt Hamas leadership networks in areas under Israeli control.
Earlier, CNN reported, citing Israeli sources, the arrest of Hassan Yousef, one of Hamas’s founding figures, during operations in the West Bank near the Jordan River. The arrests have intensified concerns about the stability of the Hamas leadership and the potential implications for the broader Palestinian-Israeli crisis.
Analysts and political observers have long noted that internal Palestinian dynamics and leadership splits contribute to the volatility of the conflict. A growing number of experts point to the complexity of regional alliances, external influence, and the recurring cycles of violence that shape the narrative and the geopolitical calculus on both sides.