Palestinian militants don’t want a ceasefire and will be “hunted down,” the US president says
US President Donald Trump has said that Israel will have to drive Hamas out of Gaza, as ceasefire talks have once again stalled.
The president said the Palestinian militants have not negotiated in good faith and are using the remaining Israeli hostages as leverage. He stated that Israel must “clean it up” and “get rid” of the group.
“Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die, and it’s very bad. It got to a point where you have to finish the job,” Trump told reporters on Friday before departing for a trip to Scotland. “Now they are going to be hunted down,” he added.
Israel recalled its team from indirect talks in Qatar earlier this week. Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, accused Hamas of showing “a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire” and said the US would “consider alternative options” to free the hostages and “create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.”
Israeli officials have long insisted that their objective is to completely eliminate Hamas from the Palestinian enclave. However, The New York Times cited three officials as saying the withdrawal from negotiations did not signal a collapse of the talks.
Hamas said it was “surprised” by Witkoff’s remarks, claiming it had “submitted its final response” to Israel’s terms. Both sides have blamed each other for the failure to reach a breakthrough since the two-month truce expired in March.
The UN and aid organizations have renewed calls for Israel to allow more food and essential supplies into Gaza, describing the situation as a “man-made” famine in the densely populated enclave. Israel has said it is committed to increasing aid, but through channels that bypass Hamas, which it accuses of hoarding food.
