President Donald Trump is "very serious" with his ultimatum for Hamas to release all of the remaining hostages, and if that doesn't happen, "they might get to meet certain members of our very special forces," retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt said on Newsmax, Sunday.
"He's not putting up bluffs or anything like that in the background," Holt told Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "The United States is repairing and reintegrating its relationship and its alliance with the IDF and they're ready to go. They've had time to recuperate and develop intelligence, which is very important."
Meanwhile, Egypt is coming up with "failing grades" on its proposals for Gaza's future, said Holt.
Saturday, foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy, and Britain supported Egypt's plan, which avoids displacing Palestinians from Gaza and creating a committee of Palestinian technocrats to govern Gaza after the war ends between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, and would fall under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority.
"Last year at this time, they were lining up tanks aimed at Israel," said Holt. "They're going to keep coming up with proposals because President Trump's leadership is getting [Egypt] very nervous about taking Palestinian refugees."
Holt added that he thinks "we're going to see some good things going ahead. But we could see some military action first."
Meanwhile, Trump wants a demilitarized private sector solution for Gaza, which could be a "model of what can happen after a devastating conflict," said Holt.
"The Arab states, quietly in the background, and it's not reported on the media, are already talking about how to take the displaced in," said Holt.
The nations are saying they want a different for Gaza, but Holt says he wants to know what they want.
"Destroyed buildings, sewer pipes used as rocket launchers, and more war? That's nonsense," he said. "The right answer is, we have got to put this all back together, and these people have to thrive economically. When somebody has an economic stake and it puts food in their kids' bellies, they tend not to like war a whole bunch."
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