Trump on new contradiction: Backing Israeli attacks on Gaza
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has voiced support for Israel’s renewed military strikes in Gaza, nearly three weeks into a ceasefire that he helped broker.
On Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “immediate and powerful strikes” in response to attacks on Israeli troops still stationed in parts of the Palestinian territory. Reports indicate that at least 30 Palestinians were killed during the operations.
“As I understand it, they took out an Israeli soldier. They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back – and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit back,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Japan to South Korea.
Trump maintained that the ceasefire remains secure, stressing that Hamas represents “a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave,” warning that otherwise “their lives will be terminated.”
US Vice President J.D. Vance earlier described the ceasefire as holding, despite “little skirmishes here and there.” Unnamed senior US officials reportedly urged Israel not to take “radical measures” that could jeopardize the truce.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that last week two soldiers were killed in Rafah, southern Gaza, with additional troops coming under fire on Tuesday. Hamas denied involvement and accused Israel of “a blatant ceasefire violation.”
The militant group also warned that the escalation could “lead to a delay” in returning the remains of the 13 Israeli hostages still in Gaza. Earlier, Israeli officials had accused Hamas of delaying the handover of all bodies as outlined in the ceasefire, mediated by the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye, which began on October 10.
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