Hamas ready for talks with Trump administration, says Hamas official

MOSCOW - The Palestinian Hamas movement is ready to establish contact and hold talks with the administration of US President Donald Trump, Russia’s RIA Novosti cited a senior Hamas official as saying in remarks published early on Feb 5.

"We are ready for contact and talks with the Trump administration," the state-run news agency cited senior Hamas politburo member Mousa Abu Marzouk as saying.

"In the past, we did not object to contact with the administration of (former US president Joe) Biden, Trump or any other US administration, and we are open to talks with all international parties."

It was not clear when RIA interviewed Marzouk, who was visiting Moscow on Feb 3 for talks with the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Mr Trump vowed on Feb 4 that the

US would take over the war-shattered Gaza Strip

after the Palestinians are resettled elsewhere and develop it economically, a move that would shatter decades of US policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Marzouk told RIA that talks with the US have become a kind of necessity for Hamas, considering that Washington is a key player in the Middle East.

“That is why we welcome the talks with the Americans and have no objection to this issue,” he added. REUTERS