Donald Trump has threatened that he will force Hamas to disarm if they refuse to give up their arms as the Gaza ceasefire deal hangs by a thread.
‘They will disarm — and if they don’t I’m gonna make them disarm,’ the president told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. ‘They know what I mean.’
Trump warned that America stood ready to bring about Hamas’s disarmament ‘quickly and perhaps violently.’
The commander-in-chief returned from Egypt late last night after signing a historic peace deal and speaking in Israel following the release of 20 hostages by Hamas.
But despite the celebrations, it remains unclear whether the peace will hold after two years of fighting that has left more than 70,000 dead.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan demands that Hamas disarm, and turn over the dead hostages — neither pledge has yet been honored.
The IDF on Tuesday said that the Red Cross is on its way to collect more hostage coffins inside Gaza after the remains of four others were released last night.
The bodies of 24 hostages, which Hamas promised to release as part of the peace deal, are still unaccounted for.
Lianne Pollack-David, former senior advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says the most critical test lies ahead. Trump’s peace deal risks complete collapse if Hamas fails to return the bodies of all deceased Israeli hostages, she says.
The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, an Israeli advocacy group, warned that Hamas is already in ‘blatant breach’ of the peace agreement after it failed to release all of the remains today.
Pollack-David, who previously negotiated with Palestinians, described the current phase of the deal as dangerously unstable, with the Israel Defense Forces having partially withdrawn to what is called the ‘yellow line’ –– about a 50 percent pullback.
If Hamas violates the terms, that retreat could be reversed rapidly.
She emphasized that Trump’s agreement is not a peace deal, but a shaky ceasefire with terrorists which was only in its initial phase. Much is unresolved.
Pollack-David says Hamas has already shown signs of defiance, including using psychological tactics to maintain a sense of control.
She says Hamas called the parents of these hostages and let them speak to their loved ones, because they wanted to let them know they maintain control over them.
‘I don’t expect Hamas to come out in the next few days or months waving a white flag. They will do whatever they can to survive, and they’re already playing these tricks,’ the Netanyahu insider said.
She added, ‘What they do next could blow up the whole deal.’
Pollack-David praised Trump’s strategic approach in the region, noting that he has effectively compelled regional actors such as Qatar, Turkey and Egypt to take concrete responsibility for Gaza’s future, rather than remaining passive observers.
Gaza, she argued, cannot remain solely Israel’s problem.
‘What President Trump did very smartly is put a lot of responsibility on the regional players… instead of just talking, he’s telling them, put your skin in the game,’ she said.
At the same time, she expressed concern that key players like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who she identifies as representatives of a moderate and forward–looking Middle East, have so far played a limited role in the process.
‘Qatar and Turkey are now heavily involved, but there are big question marks. They’ve been strong supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, and very anti–Israel,’ she explained.
In the end, she said that the United States, rather than the current Israeli government, will be the one who will decide if the war has ended.
‘The US will be the judge of long term peace. I wish it were Israel, but it can’t happen with this current government that mixes ultra-right wing ideology with security considerations. It doesn’t fully represent the Israeli public or Israel’s best long-term security interests,’ she said.
‘Trump’s vision at this moment is the right one. He’s pushing Israel in a direction that may not be convenient to everyone, but it’s necessary,’ she said.
