Political factions in Gaza watched the US midterm elections as closely as Israel's, but were divided over what the results could mean for Palestinians. Some welcomed the Republicans' loss of their majorities in both the House of Representatives and Senate under President Donald Trump as a victory for the Palestinian cause. Others were more cautious, arguing that the results would do little to ease the crises gripping the war-battered enclave. Neither Fatah nor Hamas, nor any other Palestinian faction in Gaza, publicly commented on the US congressional midterm results. But their affiliated media outlets closely tracked the vote, highlighting the success of candidates of Arab and Muslim descent. Among them was Dr. Adam Hamawy, who won a House seat representing New Jersey after having worked in Gaza during the Israeli war that followed the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Munther al-Hayek, Fatah's spokesman in Gaza, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the war had featured prominently in the midterm campaigns and that the current US administration's stance on the Palestinian territories had cost Republicans votes. "The current US administration's negative positions toward the situation in the Palestinian territories influenced voters, contributing to the Republicans' clear defeat," Hayek said. "Everyone who supported Palestine and stood by its people, particularly Gaza, whose plight featured in most campaign speeches by its supporters, achieved clearly positive results," he added. Hamas leaders, including spokesman Hazem Qassem, took a more guarded approach, declining to comment officially. In October 2025, Hamas accepted a Trump-proposed plan to end the Gaza war. Israel, however, has yet to withdraw from the positions it occupies in the enclave as required under the agreement and continues to carry out targeted killings of Hamas members. A senior Hamas official based in Turkey, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, played down expectations of any meaningful shift. "The election results will change nothing fundamental for Palestinians, particularly Gaza residents, but could offer some hope of curbing the overwhelming US support for Israel's attacks on the enclave," the official said. He also cautioned against overlooking the Democrats' role in the war. "We must remember that the Democratic Party, represented by former President Joe Biden's administration, was the first to support the ongoing war and was unable to impose any solutions on Benjamin Netanyahu's government, unlike Trump, who later managed to do so despite his unwavering support for Israel," he said. For many ordinary Palestinians in Gaza, the distinction between Republicans and Democrats is narrow, according to Gaza-based writer and political analyst Mustafa Ibrahim. "Most Palestinians outside the political factions, particularly in Gaza, believe both parties support Israeli policies, with only minor differences on certain issues," Ibrahim told Asharq Al-Awsat. He said it was too early to gauge the elections' impact on Gaza, noting that newly elected lawmakers would not be sworn in or take office for another two months. In the meantime, Ibrahim said, Trump could press Israel to accelerate measures sought by the Board of Peace in Gaza, including the entry of the national committee tasked with administering the enclave. But he saw little prospect of major progress, citing Israel's political deadlock following its own elections. Ibrahim also doubted that Democratic lawmakers could exert significant influence, drive rapid change, or deliver major breakthroughs in US policy toward the Palestinian cause.
