President Donald Trump on Monday warned Hamas to quit attacking Israel, threatening that the U.S. and its allies would "eradicate" the terrorist group if it violates the ceasefire in Gaza again.
The warning came after Israel said terrorists attacked its military positions Sunday in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, an incident that disrupted the U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced Oct. 8.
Israel's airstrikes in response killed more than two dozen Palestinians, according to Reuters.
"This is a very violent group of people, and they got very rambunctious," Trump said during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House. "If they keep doing it, then we're going to go in and straighten it out, and it'll happen very quickly and pretty violently."
He added that the U.S. is "going to eradicate Hamas" if the group continues its attacks.
Hamas and its armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, denied involvement in the Rafah attack and insisted they remain committed to the ceasefire.
Senior Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq accused Israel of "violating the deal and fabricating pretexts to justify its crimes," according to The Guardian.
Trump suggested that Hamas' leadership was not directly involved, saying the incident may have been caused by internal dissent within the group.
"They had some rebellion in there among themselves," he said, adding that Hamas "better straighten that themselves" or face consequences.
Trump's special envoys for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Israel on Monday to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discuss "developments and updates in the region," according to The Times of Israel.
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, are on the way to visit Israel on Tuesday.
The ceasefire, brokered by the U.S., has brought a pause to nearly two years of war between Israel and Hamas, allowing for the release of hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Hamas recently handed over 20 living hostages it had held since the October 7, 2023, attacks that killed more than 1,200, though the recovery of bodies has taken longer.
The Red Cross said Monday it was preparing to receive the remains of one slain hostage recovered by Hamas.
Israel has reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire but warned it would respond "firmly to any violation."
Gaza's media office, however, has accused Israel of dozens of breaches since the truce began.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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