President Donald Trump has delivered a blunt warning to Hamas: honor the Gaza ceasefire or face eradication.
The threat comes as Vice President JD Vance travels to Israel to shore up the fragile truce amid renewed violence and rising tensions.
According to Linda Ikeji Blog, while speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump made his position crystal clear.
“We made a deal with Hamas that they’re going to be very good, they’re going to behave, they’re going to be nice,” he said.
“If they’re not, we’re going to go and we’re going to eradicate them. They’ll be eradicated, and they know that.”
The warning follows a violent weekend that tested the already shaky ceasefire.
Israel launched dozens of airstrikes across Gaza on Sunday, dropping 153 tons of explosives, after an attack killed two Israeli soldiers. Gaza’s civil defense agency reported at least 45 deaths from the strikes.
Despite the flare-up, both sides say they’re still committed to the U.S.-brokered deal. On Monday, Hamas returned another hostage’s body, bringing the total to 13 of the 28 promised under the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stressed that Hamas must deliver all hostages before full implementation.
“We will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we return all of the deceased hostages, every last one of them,” Netanyahu’s office said.
Hamas claims it needs more time and help to locate the remaining bodies.
Vice President Vance is expected in Israel on Tuesday to meet with Netanyahu about regional security challenges and diplomatic opportunities.
The October 10 ceasefire includes provisions for hostage and prisoner swaps, plus a long-term framework for Gaza’s governance, but implementation has hit major roadblocks almost immediately.
Netanyahu accused Hamas of “a blatant violation” of the truce after Sunday’s attack. Hamas denied the charge.
Trump clarified the U.S. won’t deploy troops to Gaza but said Israel stands ready to move quickly if asked.
“Israel would go in in two minutes if I asked them to,” Trump said. “But right now, we’re going to give it a little chance.”
Gaza’s civil defense agency reported four additional deaths from Israeli gunfire in Gaza City on Monday. Israel’s military said it targeted militants who crossed a ceasefire demarcation line.
Under Trump’s 20-point peace plan, Israeli forces pulled back beyond the “Yellow Line” but still control roughly half of Gaza, including border zones but not major cities.
Israeli troops have repeatedly fired on Gazans approaching their positions, though limited media access makes independent verification of casualties difficult.
The Israeli military said it “renewed enforcement of the ceasefire” after Sunday’s strikes but warned of a “firm” response to any violations.
Hamas denied any role in the soldier deaths and accused Israel of creating “pretexts” for continued military action.
The Gaza conflict erupted after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which killed 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.
Since then, at least 68,216 people have died in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The UN considers these figures credible, with more than half of the dead believed to be women and children.
