NEW DELHI: President Donald Trump has escalated pressure on Hamas, declaring that the group must surrender its weapons voluntarily or face direct enforcement by the United States and its allies.
Speaking during a press briefing following the recent Gaza ceasefire, Trump emphasized that the fragile truce offers a “historic opportunity” to end hostilities and secure lasting peace in the region.
Trump asserted that verbal commitments from Hamas intermediaries had been obtained, but he warned that failure to comply with disarmament requirements would trigger forcible measures. “We do not negotiate with terror; we enforce peace,” he said.
The warning underscores the administration’s hardline approach to ensuring compliance with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and wider peace framework.
The ceasefire, reached last week in Cairo after intensive negotiations, involved the release of the final Israeli hostages held by Hamas and the transfer of bodies of deceased captives.
While the operation was deemed a diplomatic success, Israel has reduced humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing Hamas’s incomplete fulfillment of agreement terms.
Trump’s ultimatum has drawn both support and criticism. Israeli officials welcomed the tough stance as essential to regional security, while Palestinian authorities cautioned that forcible measures could undermine humanitarian conditions and destabilize Gaza further.
European and Arab diplomats privately expressed concern over the potential for renewed conflict if disarmament efforts are enforced too aggressively.
The president framed his approach as a combination of diplomacy and leverage, signaling that the United States is prepared to act decisively if Hamas fails to meet its commitments. Observers suggest that this public ultimatum also serves Trump’s broader political objectives, reinforcing his image as a decisive leader capable of brokering peace in longstanding conflicts.
