President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to Hamas, asserting that the group would face dire consequences if the ceasefire with Israel is not upheld. Speaking from Air Force One, Trump conveyed his belief in the longevity of the peace agreement but made it clear that any violations would be met with swift action.
“If it doesn’t hold, it’s Hamas. Hamas will not be hard to deal with very quickly,” Trump stated. He expressed optimism that the ceasefire would endure, noting Hamas’s commitment. “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 U.S. President also highlighted the broad international backing for his Middle East peace plan. He indicated that multiple nations have agreed to participate in an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to help maintain security and stability in the region. Trump contrasted this success with previous peace efforts, attributing the current progress to universal agreement and the strategic impact of neutralizing Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“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,” he elaborated.
During a layover at Al-Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, en route to Malaysia for the ASEAN summit, President Trump engaged in discussions with Qatari leadership. He met with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani aboard his aircraft. Trump commended the Emir’s leadership and highlighted their conversation about the Middle East peace efforts, with the Qatari leaders sharing his confidence in a lasting peace.
“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 shared. He further mentioned that the deployment of the ISF is imminent, with nations actively selecting their leaders for the force. “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 other diplomatic news, President Trump plans to discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping the possibility of China reducing its oil purchases from Russia, a move intended to increase pressure on Moscow. Trump also noted reports of China and India decreasing their Russian oil imports.
Regarding domestic issues, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to supporting American farmers and addressing the crisis of fentanyl smuggling from China. He also commented on his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing his disappointment with the stalled progress on the Ukraine conflict, despite Putin’s reported praise for the Middle East peace deal.