Haniyeh’s Foreign Tour Sparks Controversy Over Official Representation

Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh attends a meeting with members of international media at his office in Gaza City June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh attends a meeting with members of international media at his office in Gaza City June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
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Haniyeh’s Foreign Tour Sparks Controversy Over Official Representation

Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh attends a meeting with members of international media at his office in Gaza City June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh attends a meeting with members of international media at his office in Gaza City June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

A regional tour conducted by the head of Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, renewed disputes over the Palestinian official representation.

Ramallah accused Haniyeh of “striking the unity of the Palestinian representation,” adding that his behavior and stances “do not reflect the Palestinians.”

Fatah movement and other Palestinian factions launched a strong-worded attack against the Hamas official, accusing him of “bowing to others” and “putting the Palestinian decision at stake”.

Fatah Movement Spokesman Hussein Hamayel said that Hamas was “subjecting the Palestinian stance to foreign agendas at the expense of our people’s interests.”

“This behavior is seriously damaging the independence of the Palestinian decision, which has always been based on the foundations of our Palestinian cause, and is costing our people a lot of losses on the regional and global levels,” he added.

Hamayel accused Hamas of interfering in the affairs of other countries, in violation of the official Palestinian position, which is based on neutrality.

The attack on Hamas came a day after a visit by Haniyeh to the Sultanate of Oman to offer condolences for the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed, in parallel with President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to the Sultanate – a move that angered officials in Ramallah.

Haniyeh is currently residing in Qatar, from which he is conducting a regional tour that took him to Egypt and Turkey, before Oman.

Palestinian officials joined the attack on Hamas. Walid Al-Awad, member of the People’s Party political bureau, said: “Hamas’ efforts to open communication channels with Washington reveal the great conspiracy aimed at striking the united Palestinian representation and dispersing the national identity.”



Influential Far-right Minister Lashes out at Netanyahu over Gaza War Policy

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
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Influential Far-right Minister Lashes out at Netanyahu over Gaza War Policy

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sharply criticized on Sunday a cabinet decision to allow some aid into Gaza as a "grave mistake" that he said would benefit the militant Palestinian group Hamas.

Smotrich also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to ensure that Israel's military is following government directives in prosecuting the war against Hamas in Gaza. He said he was considering his "next steps" but stopped short of explicitly threatening to quit the coalition, Reuters reported.

Smotrich's comments come a day before Netanyahu is due to hold talks in Washington with President Donald Trump on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day Gaza ceasefire.

"... the cabinet and the Prime Minister made a grave mistake yesterday in approving the entry of aid through a route that also benefits Hamas," Smotrich said on X, arguing that the aid would ultimately reach the Islamist group and serve as "logistical support for the enemy during wartime".

The Israeli government has not announced any changes to its aid policy in Gaza. Israeli media reported that the government had voted to allow additional aid to enter northern Gaza.

The prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The military declined to comment.

Israel accuses Hamas of stealing aid for its own fighters or to sell to finance its operations, an accusation Hamas denies. Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe, with conditions threatening to push nearly a half a million people into famine within months, according to UN estimates.

Israel in May partially lifted a nearly three-month blockade on aid. Two Israeli officials said on June 27 the government had temporarily stopped aid from entering north Gaza.

PRESSURE

Public pressure in Israel is mounting on Netanyahu to secure a permanent ceasefire, a move opposed by some hardline members of his right-wing coalition. An Israeli team left for Qatar on Sunday for talks on a possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.

Smotrich, who in January threatened to withdraw his Religious Zionism party from the government if Israel agreed to a complete end to the war before having achieved its objectives, did not mention the ceasefire in his criticism of Netanyahu.

The right-wing coalition holds a slim parliamentary majority, although some opposition lawmakers have offered to support the government from collapsing if a ceasefire is agreed.