Trump summons Hamas: “Otherwise, Israel will return to Gaza as soon as I give the order” / On his peace efforts: “I had to stop them, I had a fight with Bibi”

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is considering allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume military action in Gaza if Hamas refuses to abide by the ceasefire agreement. Israeli forces could return to the streets “as soon as I give the order,” Trump told CNN.

“What's happening with Hamas – that will be resolved quickly,” Trump said in a short telephone interview with CNN, reports News.ro.

Trump's comments come as Israel accuses Hamas, a group considered a terrorist organization by the US government, of not respecting the agreement to hand over hostages, dead and alive, as part of the agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. This has caused growing anger in Israel, where authorities have told the UN that humanitarian aid shipments that should be allowed into the Gaza Strip will be reduced or delayed because of the small number of dead hostages that have been handed over. But so far, the fragile ceasefire has been respected.

Point 4 of Trump's 20-point peace plan stated that “within 72 hours of Israel's public acceptance of this agreement, all hostages, living and deceased, will be returned.” By Wednesday morning, all 20 surviving Israeli hostages had been returned to Israel. But Hamas handed over the bodies of only eight dead people, and the Israeli military said one of them did not belong to an Israeli hostage. Several more bodies were expected to be returned Wednesday evening, a source familiar with the matter told CNN on Wednesday.

Trump emphasized that saving the hostages alive was important in itself. “The release of the 20 hostages was essential,” said the US president.

In the days following the release of the hostages, violent clashes broke out between Hamas and rival groups, including one incident that culminated in an apparent public execution.

Trump had previously warned that Hamas must disarm. Or “we will disarm them” otherwise, said the American president.

His 20-point plan envisages a future in which Hamas agrees to have no role in governing the Gaza Strip, which will be demilitarized and subject to independent monitoring. But the administration admitted that it still has a lot to do to resolve the issue of the future of the Gaza Strip and that the agreement that led to the release of the hostages is only phase 1.

Trump told CNN that, at the moment, Hamas “comes in and takes out gangs, violent gangs,” thus explaining the public executions.

“I am investigating this,” he said when asked if it was possible for Hamas to execute innocent Palestinians. “We will find out about it. There could be additional gangs,” he said.

“I had a fight with Bibi”

Point 6 of the president's 20-point peace plan states: “Once all hostages are released, Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence and lay down arms will be granted amnesty. Hamas members who wish to leave Gaza will be granted safe passage to host countries.”

What if Hamas refuses to disarm? CNN asked the president. “I'm thinking about it,” Trump replied. “Israel will be back on those streets as soon as I give the order. If Israel could go in and destroy them, they would,” he warned. “I had to stop them,” the president said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Netanyahu administration. “I had an argument with Bibi,” he confessed, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

However, the president was clearly optimistic about the long-term prospects for peace, especially given the strong support of other countries in the region, notes CNN.

“59 countries are part of this agreement,” he said of the cease-fire agreement, apparently referring to the countries that attended the signing ceremony in Egypt for the principle document called the “Trump Peace Agreement” or those that expressed support. “I've never seen anything like this before. Now everything is happening. They want to be part of the Abraham Accords, now that Iran is no longer a problem,” added the head of the White House.

“I'm working hard on the problem with Russia”

Trump also said that he continues to work on ending Russia's war against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to come to the White House on Friday. “I'm working hard on the Russia issue,” Trump said.

He asked himself which would be a greater achievement – peace in the Middle East or between Russia and Ukraine. The CNN reporter noted that, historically, the conflict in the Middle East is more difficult to end. “True,” said the president. “One lasts for three years, the other for 3,000,” he pointed out.

The president also spent part of this brief call to CNN criticizing the media — specifically Vice President JD Vance's recent interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos — while also expressing hope that CBS News will now become “fairer” under new leadership. “I don't expect it to become like Fox,” he said, “just fair.”

CNN requested a one-on-one interview with Trump — something he hasn't agreed to do since 2016 — and he said he would consider the request, CNN reports.