The Palestinian movement Hamas has hailed Syrians for "realizing their aspirations for freedom and justice" after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

It was Hamas' first public comment since rebels captured the capital Damascus yesterday, forcing Assad to flee to Russia after 13 years of civil war and six decades of autocratic rule by his family.

"We stand firmly with the great people of Syria [...] and respect the will, independence and political choices of the Syrian people," Hamas said in a statement.

Hamas expressed hope that post-Assad Syria would continue to play "its historic and key role in supporting the Palestinian people."

Ziyad al-Nakhla, the leader of Hamas-allied Islamic Jihad, echoed the same sentiment in a separate statement. "Islamic Jihad hopes that Syria will remain a true supporter of the Palestinian people and their just cause, as it has always been," Nahala pointed out.

Hamas publicly supported the 2011 Sunni Muslim uprising against Assad's rule and vacated its Damascus headquarters in 2012, a move that angered Iran, an ally of both Assad and the Palestinian group.

In 2022, Hamas decided to restore relations with the Syrian government and sent a delegation to Damascus to meet with Assad in order to repair relations.

Hamas' positive reaction to Assad's fall contrasts with the stance of Shiite Hezbollah, which has played a significant role in supporting Assad during years of war.