US President Donald Trump threatened Hamas that he would consider allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume military operations in Gaza if the movement refused to adhere to the ceasefire agreement, hand over the remaining remains of the deceased hostages and disarm voluntarily.
Trump said in a short phone call with CNN on Wednesday evening, “Israeli forces may return to the streets as soon as I say a word, and what is happening with (Hamas) will be corrected quickly,” stressing that removing the twenty living hostages was a very important matter.
The US President explained that “Hamas” is currently spreading in the Gaza Strip to eliminate violent gangs, and when he was asked whether it was possible that “Hamas” had executed innocent Palestinians, he said: “I am researching that and we will find out. There may be gangs.”
CNN asked President Trump: What would happen if Hamas refused to disarm? He answered, stressing that with one word from him, Israel would return to the streets of Gaza and attack them. Pointing to the Israeli army, he said: “I had to restrain them. I discussed the matter with Bibi (Netanyahu).”
The US President stressed that there are 59 countries working to implement the agreement, referring to the countries that attended the signing of the Document of Principles in the Sharm El-Sheikh resort in Egypt.
He explained that he would continue working to end the Russian war against Ukraine, and said: “I am working hard on the Russian file.” He wondered which would be a greater achievement, peace in the Middle East, or between Russia and Ukraine. He said, “CNN says that ending the Middle East conflict was the most difficult historically, and this is true because one of them has been going on for three years and the other for three thousand years.”
CNN indicated that Trump’s plan stipulates the handover of all living and dead hostages within 72 hours of public acceptance of the agreement. Hamas has already committed to receiving the twenty living hostages, but it pointed to the obstacles hindering the exhumation of the bodies of the deceased hostages, and it handed over the bodies of four people and then four or five other bodies.
The role of the US Army
In statements to reporters on Wednesday evening at the White House, Trump indicated that Hamas is excavating the remains of the dead hostages, some of whom are buried at great depths in the tunnels. He said: “It is a terrible thing, even a horrific atrocity, but Israel killed nearly 70,000 of them, and I told Hamas, ‘The time is now, so we will see what happens.’”
Trump repeated his threat that the United States would force Hamas to disarm, and said: “They agreed to this and they must do it, and if they do not do it, we will do it.” But he indicated that the United States would not need the American army to disarm Hamas.
Trump indicated that the US military would become more directly involved at some point, and said: “We are deeply involved, and without our involvement, there would not have been peace, and if we had not destroyed Iran’s nuclear capability, this deal would not have been concluded.”
Israeli anger
Sources indicated that the Israeli government informed the Trump administration of Hamas’ attempts not to adhere to the hostage delivery agreement and the attempt to prolong the time to hand over the remains of the deceased hostages. The Israeli government expressed its anger at Hamas’ attempts to carry out political maneuvers.
President Trump previously issued a warning on Tuesday evening to Hamas about the need for it to disarm, otherwise the United States will do so by force if necessary. This is a clause stipulated in Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, which consists of twenty clauses, in addition to a clause stipulating that “Hamas” will not play any role in the administration of Gaza, which will be without peace and under independent oversight.
In exchange for Hamas’ commitment to this plan, the US administration, through President Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s envoy, provided guarantees that once all the hostages were returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence and disarmament would be pardoned, and a safe passage would be provided for them to leave Gaza for other countries.
