“Peace” in the Middle East remains a fragile experiment, one that could unravel with a single rocket or political misstep, say experts
US President Donald Trump has delivered a blunt warning to Hamas, declaring that the militant group will face “eradication” if it breaches the Gaza ceasefire. His remarks came a day after Israel accused Hamas of violating the fragile truce.
Speaking on the recent developments in the Middle East at the Oval Office, Trump was quoted as saying: “We have peace in the Middle East for the first time ever. We made a deal with Hamas that, they gonna be very good. They’re going to behave, they’re going to be nice, and if they’re not… we’re going to eradicate them if we have to. They’ll be eradicated — and they know that”, accusing Hamas of past violence Trump clarified that the US would not deploy its own forces, emphasizing “no involvement of US troops.”
His comments came after meeting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, where the two leaders signed a multi-billion-dollar pact on defence and critical minerals.
Earlier, Israel announced “renewed enforcement” of the ceasefire after air strikes in Gaza, which it said were in response to Hamas attacks on its forces. Israeli media reported that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem soon after, according to Israeli media.
The Israel Defense Forces claimed the latest strikes targeted Hamas positions in Rafah, following anti-tank missile and gunfire attacks on Israeli troops. The Gaza Media Office said 97 people have been killed and 230 injured since the ceasefire began on October 10, as per reports.
What next?
The coming weeks will test if the ceasefire can survive. Washington’s hard-line warning appears to signal zero tolerance for renewed hostilities but analysts caution that Hamas’s fractured command structure and Gaza’s humanitarian collapse may make restraint difficult.
Diplomatic channels are trying to monitor compliance. Egypt and Qatar — traditional mediators — are expected to press Hamas to avoid provocations, while Israel faces growing calls from the UN to ease restrictions on aid. Meanwhile, Trump’s claim that Iran’s influence has waned remains to be tested, intelligence agencies believe Tehran’s shadow networks still fund and arm splinter factions in Gaza.
