President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Hamas on Sunday, indicating that the group would face severe consequences if they violate the ceasefire agreement with Israel. While expressing confidence in the peace plan’s success, Trump made it clear that any transgression would be met with decisive action.
“I think it (ceasefire) will hold. Well, if it doesn’t hold, it’s Hamas. Hamas will not be hard to deal with very quickly,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. He added, “I hope it holds for Hamas too because they gave us their world on something, so I think it’s going to hold, and if it doesn’t, then they’ll have a very big problem.”
The President emphasized the broad international support for his peace initiative, noting that numerous countries have agreed to contribute to an International Stabilization Force (ISF) designed to maintain peace in the region. Trump credited the unprecedented consensus and the prior disruption of Iran’s nuclear program for the plan’s viability, distinguishing it from past failed attempts.
“A year ago, it would have been very tough. I think the big thing was when we took out the nuclear power in Iran, we took out that nuclear capability, which would have happened over the next month to two months. That made a whole big difference in the Middle East. It made it possible to do the deal,” he explained.
During a layover in Doha, Qatar, while en route to the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, President Trump met with Qatari leaders, including Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. Onboard Air Force One, Trump lauded the Qatari leadership’s cooperation and discussed the ongoing peace efforts, with Qatari officials sharing his optimistic outlook.
“He’s (Emir of Qatar) a great guy and a great leader. He helped us a lot. It was very nice of him to come. We were refuelling, and he came. It was very very nice. Great man. Great gentleman too. We talked about peace in the Middle East. We have great peace in the Middle East. He thinks it is enduring. He’s never seen anything like it. And is very happy that I got involved,” Trump stated. He further detailed the imminent establishment of the ISF, noting the current selection of leaders for the force. “You’re going to have peace in the Middle East. This is real peace. This has never happened before. For 3,000 years, this has never happened.”
In parallel diplomatic efforts, President Trump intends to discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping the possibility of China reducing its oil imports from Russia to exert pressure on Moscow. He also mentioned that China and India are reportedly cutting back on Russian oil purchases.
On domestic matters, Trump reiterated his commitment to supporting American farmers and tackling the issue of fentanyl being trafficked from China. He also spoke about his interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing disappointment over the slow progress in resolving the conflict in Ukraine, while noting that Putin had praised his success in brokering the Middle East peace deal.
