Nigeria TV Info — INTERNATIONAL / MIDDLE EAST

Trump Pushes for Phase Two of Gaza Ceasefire, Warns Hamas Over Disarmament

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he hopes to move to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire “very quickly,” while warning that Hamas will face severe consequences if it fails to disarm as required under the peace framework.

Trump made the remarks on Monday during talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, stressing that the disarmament of Hamas is a core condition of his proposed 20-point peace plan. Speaking at a joint press conference, the U.S. president said Israel had “lived up to the plan 100%,” despite continued Israeli military operations in Gaza.

“If they don’t disarm, as they agreed to do, there will be hell to pay,” Trump said, adding that Hamas must surrender its weapons “in a fairly short period of time.” He also suggested that reconstruction efforts in Gaza could begin soon if the next phase of the ceasefire proceeds as planned.

The Gaza peace plan, which came into effect in October, outlines a second phase that includes the disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the establishment of a technocratic administration to govern the territory ahead of large-scale reconstruction. However, critics argue that Prime Minister Netanyahu may attempt to delay troop withdrawals while pushing Hamas to disarm first.

Hamas officials have countered that any full disarmament should be tied to concrete steps toward the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Trump dismissed claims that Israel is stalling, saying his focus is on whether “other people” are meeting their obligations under the agreement.

Since the ceasefire began, at least 414 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel, however, says its forces have only responded to ceasefire violations and has blamed Hamas for the deaths of three Israeli soldiers during the same period.