U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume military operations in Gaza if the Palestinian terror group Hamas does not comply with the ceasefire agreement, adding that Israeli forces could resume operations as soon as he authorized it.
His remarks came in a brief telephone conversation with CNN amid accusations from the Israeli government that Hamas has not honored its commitment to hand over all hostages, both alive and dead, as a condition of a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave."What's happening with Hamas will be resolved quickly," Trump said.
The agreement, which corresponds to point 4 of the 20-point peace plan presented by Trump, stipulated that “within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance of the agreement, all hostages, living and deceased, will be returned.” As of Wednesday morning, Hamas had handed over all 20 Israeli hostages alive to authorities, but only eight bodies, and one of them did not belong to an Israeli hostage.
The failure to fully return the deceased has angered Israel, which has notified the UN of the possibility of reducing or delaying the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza while this situation persists. However, the fragile truce remains in place.
During the interview, Trump emphasized the importance of rescuing the hostages alive, calling it"critical," and maintained that Hamas must lay down its weapons: "They must disarm, or we will do it ourselves." The proposed peace plan envisions Hamas being removed from any governing role in Gaza, a territory that would be demilitarized and placed under independent oversight during the transition. The US administration itself acknowledged that the agreement constitutes only a first phase, and that significant challenges remain in determining the political future of the Strip.
In the days following the hostages’ release, violent incidents between Hamas and rival Palestinian groups were reported, including one instance of a public execution. Asked about the possibility of Hamas executing Palestinian civilians, Trump responded, “I’m looking into it. It could be other groups besides gangs. We’ll find out.”
Point 6 of the presidential plan contemplates granting amnesty to Hamas members who accept peaceful coexistence and the surrender of weapons, as well as facilitating the transfer of those who wish to leave Gaza to third countries.
Asked about the consequences if Hamas does not disarm, Trump told CNN: “I think about it. Israel will be back in those streets as soon as I say so. If Israel could go in and take them out, they would.” He added that he had “a clash with Bibi,” referring to previous discussions with Netanyahu over the operational nature of the Israeli military.
Meanwhile, the top US commander in the Middle East, Admiral Brad Cooper of Central Command (Centcom), urged Hamas on Wednesday to stop attacking civilians in Gaza, following the release of a video showing militants executing alleged collaborators and criminals in public. “We strongly urge Hamas to immediately cease the violence and shooting against innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Cooper said in a statement, also urging Hamas to adhere to Trump’s peace plan and to lay down its weapons “without delay.” Centcom reported that these demands have been communicated to international mediators, who pledged to work for compliance with the ceasefire and the protection of the Gazan population.
As Israeli forces partially withdraw from the enclave, Hamas is consolidating its control over several towns and has resumed street patrols with masked officers. A Palestinian security source told AFP:"There will be no room for criminals or those who threaten the security of citizens."
Both Israel and the United States have insisted that Hamas should not be involved in any eventual government in Gaza. In parallel with the conflict, Trump told CNN that he is continuing his diplomatic efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, and confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit the White House next Friday.
