President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would consider allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume military action in Gaza if Hamas refuses to uphold its end of the ceasefire deal, telling CNN that Israeli forces could return to the streets “as soon as I say the word.”
“What’s going on with Hamas – that’ll be straightened out quickly,” the president said in a brief telephone call.
Trump’s comments come as Israel is accusing Hamas, a group labeled a terrorist organization by the US government, of not abiding by the agreement that it hand over hostages, living and dead, as part of a deal to end the fighting in Gaza. That has caused rising anger in Israel, where authorities have told the UN that humanitarian aid shipments expected to be allowed into Gaza will be reduced or delayed because of the small number of deceased hostages turned over. But so far, the tenuous ceasefire has held.
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