Trump says no ‘hard’ timeline for Hamas disarmament

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he does not have a “hard” timeline for Hamas to disarm under the Gaza ceasefire deal but warned that if the group fails to give up its weapons, the US or its “proxies,” or Israel, could intervene.

Asked during an interview with FOX News if he had a timeline to get Hamas to disarm, Trump responded by saying he did not have a “hard line,” but the US would “see how it all works out.”

When pressed on whether he believed Hamas would actually give up its weapons, Trump said the group had agreed to do so and warned that if it failed to follow through, forceful measures would follow.

“They said they would… if we have to, we will disarm them,” he said. “Whether it's me, the US, or it's a proxy, could be Israel, with our backing. We won't have boots on the ground.”

The first phase of the 20-point Gaza ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Hamas earlier this month, based on a plan presented by Trump. Phase one includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it largely uninhabitable.