Hamas welcomes Arab-Islamic statement, calls on Israel to abide by Roadmap

CAIRO – 17 August 2026: Hamas issued a statement on Monday welcoming the joint declaration by the foreign ministers of Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, which condemned the Israeli government's rejection of the roadmap to implement U.S. President Donald Trump's plan.

In its press release, the movement commended the foreign ministers for holding Israel responsible for stalling peace efforts and for demanding the full, immediate implementation of the roadmap.

Hamas also praised the ministers for highlighting the vital role of the United States, mediators, and the broader Middle East Peace Process in ensuring compliance, preventing delays, and moving forward with the second phase of the plan according to agreed timetables.

Additionally, the group supported the ministers' rejection of Israeli efforts to deny Palestinians the right to establishing an independent, sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital. The statement noted that ongoing occupation, annexation policies, and settlement expansion directly threaten regional stability and peace prospects.

Concluding its statement, Hamas urged international stakeholders to build on this joint position through active diplomacy, pressing the Israeli government to fulfill its commitments, end Palestinian suffering, and initiate the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.