Hamas has expressed strong opposition to the US decision to offer consular services within the Efrat settlement located in the Gush Etzion Bloc of the West Bank. The group described this action as a dangerous precedent, indicating that it represents a practical acknowledgment of the legitimacy of settlement expansion and the Israeli government's control over the West Bank. Hamas argues that this move contradicts the US's stated position of rejecting the annexation of the West Bank, highlighting the inconsistency in American foreign policy in the region.

In their statement, Hamas emphasized that providing formal US governmental services within Israeli settlements violates international law, which considers such settlements illegal. The group sees this decision as an attempt to impose new political realities that could undermine the national rights of the Palestinian people. By engaging with settlements, they assert, the US is complicating the path to a peaceful resolution and advancing policies that favor Israeli expansionism at the expense of Palestinian sovereignty.

Hamas cautioned about the potential ramifications of the US decision, especially in light of recent American statements that appear to encourage further Israeli territorial claims. They called for a coordinated international response to counter what they perceive as escalating aggression against Palestinian rights. The announcement from the US embassy regarding passport services scheduled for February 27 has raised significant concern among Palestinian leadership and human rights advocates who fear that such actions may normalize settlement practices.