Newly elected US President Donald Trump has criticised the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, saying it should be scrapped if the Hamas terror group does not release all hostages held in Gaza by Saturday.
Trump declared: “If they’re not here, all hell will break loose” and said he feared many of those soon to be released would be dead; but clarified: “I speak for myself. Israel can overturn it.” Israel, meanwhile, fears Trump’s comments could further jeopardize the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, after more than a year of war, as part of the negotiations conditioned daily humanitarian aid and massive reconstruction in Gaza.
Those comments came after Trump said in an interview with Fox News that Palestinians in Gaza would have no right to return under his plan for U.S. “ownership” of the war-torn territory, contradicting other officials in his administration who have sought to argue that Trump was only calling for the temporary relocation of its population, and comments that undermined the “slowly but surely” process of negotiations.
Trump is also currently putting pressure on Arab states Jordan and Egypt, which are US allies, to consider receiving Palestinians from Gaza on their territories, otherwise he would withdraw aid to these Arab countries.
Karla Gaona
Collaboration: Daniel Chitrit