Trump supports Israel’s retaliation against Hamas, says ceasefire will hold
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has commented on another ceasefire violation in the Gaza Strip, saying that Israel has the right to respond to attacks by the Hamas group, according to a White House broadcast.
While speaking to reporters, Trump was asked to react to Israel’s latest strike on Gaza. The US leader made it clear that he supports such responses to possible Hamas attacks.
“They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back and and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit,” Trump said.
Immediately after that, reporters asked whether he thought this could derail or jeopardize the ceasefire, to which the US leader replied:
“Nothing's going to jeopardize that's you have to understand Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave. They're on the rough side, but they said they would be good, and if they're good, they're going to be happy. And if they're not good, they're going to be terminated,” the White House chief said.
He once again stressed that Hamas can be destroyed, adding that many countries are willing to do it.
“You know, we have many countries, even Japan today said, "We'd love to be involved in the Middle East and we can help you by sending anybody by sending people, including experts." But we have many countries that would do that, not just Israel,” Trump said.
According to him, the current world is very strong, and Hamas has grown by killing people and probably cannot stop.
When asked whether Hamas will be disarmed, the US president said work on that is already underway.
“That's a key part of the next step with this right now. And that's starting because we're getting into phase two, and that's starting. But you have to understand Hamas is a very small part of the overall Middle East peace. We have peace in the Middle East. If we have to, we'll take out Hamas very easily, and that'll be the end of Hamas. We would rather not. We made a deal with them where they were going to behave, and they have to behave. If they don't behave, they get taken out,” Trump concluded.
Ceasefire in Gaza was on the brink of collapse
On October 28, it emerged that Hamas militants are deliberately refusing to hand over to Israel the bodies of deceased hostages.
The group also fired on Israeli soldiers stationed in the southern Gaza Strip; the Israel Defense Forces returned fire. There were reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered immediate and powerful strikes on the Gaza Strip.
The media reported that at least three airstrikes were recorded over Gaza.
