President Donald Trump defended his Gaza ceasefire plan in a Fox News interview, saying Hamas had agreed to disarm—though without a firm timeline. “If they don’t do what they’re supposed to do, we’ll have to do it for them,” Trump said, later clarifying that any enforcement would be carried out by Israel, not U.S. troops.
The ceasefire, effective since October 10, halted two years of war between Israel and Hamas and included a hostage-prisoner exchange. However, Hamas has failed to return all bodies of slain hostages, claiming they’re lost in the rubble—a claim Israel rejects.
Trump also condemned Hamas executions of rival militias during the truce, reversing earlier comments that appeared to excuse the killings.
The president praised Qatar’s role in mediating the deal, calling Emir Tamim “a fantastic man” navigating “a tough neighborhood.” Trump said his new Gaza plan, unlike earlier proposals, keeps Palestinians in place while rebuilding “homes paid for by the wealthiest countries” in the region.
