Trump Warns Hamas Of ‘Eradication’ If Gaza Ceasefire Breached

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Hamas on Monday, 20 October that the group would be “eradicated” if it breached the Gaza truce he helped broker, but said he would give the militant organisation a chance to honour the agreement and that American forces would not be sent into Gaza. According to AFP, Mr Trump made the comments at the White House while hosting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

"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," Mr Trump told reporters. "And if they’re not, we’re going to go and we’re going to eradicate them, if we have to. They’ll be eradicated, and they know that".

Mr Trump said dozens of countries had agreed to join an international stabilisation force for Gaza and that Israel “would go in in two minutes” if asked, but he stressed the United States would not itself confront Hamas. “We’re going to give it a little chance,” he added.

The president also urged Hamas to stop public executions of rivals and alleged collaborators as it seeks to reassert control over the devastated territory, and said the group had lost significant regional backing — notably describing Iran as unlikely to intervene after U.S. and Israeli strikes earlier this year. “They don’t have the backing of really anybody anymore,” he said. AFP reported his warning that continued violence would be met swiftly and forcefully.

The Gaza deal, concluded nearly two weeks earlier with U.S. involvement, has already been strained by accusations from Israel that Hamas is stalling over the return of dead hostages and has launched attacks. AFP reported that Hamas’s top negotiator, Khalil al‑Hayya, told Egypt’s Al‑Qahera News the group remained committed to the ceasefire but was finding it “extremely difficult to extract the bodies” and was “working hard to extract them.”

Tensions remain high after heavy fighting, AFP reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel dropped 153 tonnes of bombs on Gaza on 19 October. The comments from Mr Trump came as U.S. Vice‑President J.D. Vance departed for Israel to join two senior U.S. envoys following weekend violence that threatened the fragile truce. According to AFP, Mr Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner met Mr Netanyahu on Monday to discuss recent developments.

Mr Vance and his wife, Usha, left Washington without commenting to reporters and were scheduled to meet Mr Netanyahu, the Prime Minister’s office said, AFP reported.

(With inputs from AFP)