President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Hamas on Sunday, stating that the group would face significant repercussions if they violate the current ceasefire agreement with Israel. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed optimism about the durability of the peace accord, while emphasizing the consequences of any breach.
“If it doesn’t hold, it’s Hamas. Hamas will not be hard to deal with very quickly,” Trump declared. He added his hope that the agreement would be honored, acknowledging that Hamas had seemingly committed to its terms. “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 also highlighted the unprecedented level of global support for his Middle East peace initiative. He revealed that numerous countries have agreed to contribute to an International Stabilization Force (ISF), tasked with maintaining peace in the region. Trump attributed the success of this plan, unlike previous attempts, to widespread consensus. A key factor, he noted, was the earlier action against Iran’s nuclear capabilities, which he believes shifted the regional dynamics and made the peace deal achievable.
“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… That made a whole big difference in the Middle East. It made it possible to do the deal,” Trump explained.
During his journey to Malaysia for the ASEAN summit, President Trump made a stopover in Doha, Qatar. He met with Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani aboard Air Force One. Trump praised the Qatari leadership for their assistance and discussed the ongoing peace efforts in the Middle East, with both leaders expressing confidence in its lasting nature.
“He’s (Emir of Qatar) a great guy and a great leader. He helped us a lot… 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 elaborated on the impending deployment of the ISF, noting that leaders are actively being selected. “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 related news, President Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping during his Asia tour to discuss potential reductions in China’s oil purchases from Russia, aimed at pressuring Moscow towards a peace deal. Trump also mentioned that China and India are reportedly scaling back their Russian oil imports.
Addressing other international concerns, Trump reiterated his focus on combating the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. from China and expressed optimism about reaching a comprehensive trade deal benefiting American farmers. He also touched upon his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing disappointment over the lack of progress on resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, despite Putin reportedly praising his Middle East peace deal achievements.