Hamas applauds Dutch mass ministerial resignations over Gaza sanctions dispute
Story by Jessica Mbamah
In a move drawing international attention, the Palestine-based terrorist group, Hamas, has praised the mass resignation of several Dutch ministers, including Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, over the Netherlands’ refusal to impose stricter sanctions on Israel. The Palestinian resistance group described the resignations as “a brave and ethical decision.”
In a statement issued late Saturday, Hamas said that the resignations demonstrated “human values” and a commitment to international law, particularly amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The group added that the Dutch ministers’ stance came at a crucial time, “when the United Nations has declared famine in the Gaza Strip.”
Veldkamp, a member of the center-right New Social Contract (NSC) party, resigned on Friday after failing to win cabinet support for additional punitive measures against Israel in response to its ongoing war in Gaza. Al Jazeera stated that Veldkamp admitted that he could not secure agreement on “meaningful measures,” citing persistent opposition from fellow ministers.
In recent weeks, Veldkamp had implemented limited sanctions, including travel bans on far-right Israeli ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the revocation of three export permits related to naval ship components.
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Following Veldkamp’s resignation, all ministers and state secretaries from the NSC also stepped down from the caretaker government in a show of solidarity.
Despite these dramatic resignations, the Dutch Parliament on Saturday voted against taking punitive action against Israel. A motion to recognize Palestinian statehood was also rejected. Proposed measures reportedly included a ban on arms purchases from Israel, Politico reported.
The Dutch government has been under growing public pressure over its stance on the war in Gaza. Mass protests have swept the country in recent months, culminating in a major demonstration in The Hague in June. Estimates placed the crowd between 100,000 and 150,000 people—marking it as the largest protest in the Netherlands in two decades.
Hamas, in its statement, called the resignations a rare example of political ethics in a time of humanitarian crisis.
READ ALSO: Thousands of Israelis stage general strike to demand Gaza swap deal, end war
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