Washington (BN24) – President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a stark warning to Hamas, saying “we will have no choice but to go in and kill them” if internal bloodshed in Gaza continues, marking a sharp shift in tone days after a ceasefire and hostage deal took effect.
Trump made the remarks after previously downplaying the internal violence between rival factions inside the enclave following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas last week in the two-year war.
Speaking to reporters, Trump later clarified that he does not intend to deploy U.S. forces to Gaza. “It’s not going to be us,” he said. “We won’t have to. There are people very close, very nearby that will go in and they’ll do the trick very easily, but under our auspices.” While he did not name the country, his comments were widely interpreted as a reference to Israel. Any direct Israeli military action, however, could risk violating the terms of the ceasefire.
Trump’s tough new rhetoric contrasted sharply with his earlier comments on Tuesday, when he appeared unconcerned about Hamas cracking down on rival gangs in the territory. “They took out a couple of gangs that were very bad,” Trump said then. “That didn’t bother me much, to be honest with you.”
The president did not elaborate on how the U.S. would act on his threat, posted on Truth Social, and the White House has not provided further details. However, Trump underscored that his administration has little patience for ongoing killings within Gaza. “They will disarm, and if they don’t do so, we will disarm them, and it’ll happen quickly and perhaps violently,” he said.
For nearly two decades, Hamas-run police maintained internal control in Gaza, but their presence has diminished in recent months as Israeli forces seized large areas and targeted Hamas security personnel with airstrikes. In their absence, powerful families and armed gangs, including anti-Hamas factions allegedly backed by Israel, have filled the void. Many of these groups have been accused of hijacking humanitarian aid and reselling it for profit, worsening the territory’s starvation crisis.
Under Trump’s ceasefire plan, Hamas was required to hand over all hostages—living and dead—by Monday’s deadline. If unable to return all bodies, Hamas was to provide information and return remains as soon as possible.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel “will not compromise” and demanded Hamas comply fully with the deal regarding the return of hostages’ bodies. Hamas’s armed wing said it has honored the ceasefire terms by handing over the remains of those it could access.
The U.S. announced last week that around 200 troops will be sent to Israel to help monitor the ceasefire as part of a multinational team, but U.S. officials have emphasized that no American forces will enter Gaza.
Israeli officials have voiced frustration at the slow pace of body returns. Hamas agreed to hand over 28 bodies in addition to the 20 living hostages already released. Senior U.S. advisers, speaking anonymously, said they believe Hamas is working through intermediaries to return the remaining bodies and does not appear to have violated the agreement.
Trump’s warning raises pressure on Hamas to end the internal bloodshed and fully comply with the ceasefire terms, even as tensions remain high over humanitarian access and hostage returns.
