Trump Supports Israel’s Renewed Strikes on Gaza
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has expressed support for Israel’s renewed military actions in Gaza, which have occurred nearly three weeks into a ceasefire that he played a role in brokering.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed “immediate and powerful strikes” on Tuesday evening, citing attacks by Hamas on Israeli soldiers who continue to occupy parts of the Palestinian territory. Gaza’s Hamas-run government reported that at least 30 Palestinians lost their lives during the operation.
“As I understand it, they took out an Israeli soldier,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday while traveling from Japan to South Korea.
“They killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back – and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit back,” he emphasized.
Trump also maintained that “nothing is going to jeopardize” the ceasefire. He stressed that Hamas represented “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 stated that the ceasefire was largely holding, despite “little skirmishes here and there.”
A media outlet cited unnamed senior US officials who indicated that the White House had advised Israel against taking “radical measures” that might undermine the truce.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that last week two of its soldiers were attacked and killed by Hamas in Rafah, located in southern Gaza, and additional soldiers came under fire in the same region on Tuesday.
Hamas denied any responsibility for these events, accusing Israel of “a blatant ceasefire violation.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
