President Donald Trump issued a strong ultimatum to Hamas on Sunday, warning of significant repercussions should they breach the ceasefire agreement with Israel. While expressing confidence in the prospects for lasting Middle East peace, Trump was unequivocal about the consequences of any violation.
“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 journalists aboard 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.”
President Trump highlighted the widespread international endorsement of his peace plan, revealing that numerous countries have pledged to join an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to safeguard regional tranquility. He attributed the plan’s success to the unique level of global accord and the impact of neutralizing Iran’s nuclear capabilities, which he believes altered the regional landscape favorably.
“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,” Trump explained.
During a stopover at Al-Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, while en route to the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, President Trump met with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani of Qatar. Trump praised their leadership and their contributions to Middle East peace, noting their shared confidence in the durability of the current accords.
“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 remarked. He also confirmed that the International Stabilization Force is nearing deployment, with leaders being appointed. “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 diplomatic initiatives, President Trump is expected to discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping the potential for China to reduce its oil purchases from Russia, aiming to increase pressure on Moscow. Trump also indicated that China and India are reportedly scaling back their Russian oil imports.
Addressing other key issues, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to supporting American farmers and combating the illicit flow of fentanyl from China. He also reflected on his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing disappointment over the lack of progress on the Ukraine conflict, while noting Putin’s acknowledgment of his Middle East peace deal success.