WASHINGTON – President Trump stated on Friday that he supports Israel’s actions against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, particularly after terrorist groups dismissed a recent US-backed ceasefire proposal, claiming, somewhat dramatically, “they want to die.”
He emphasized the need for Israel to “finish the job,” noting that the number of Israeli hostages held by Hamas has dwindled significantly over the past two years, leading him to believe a new ceasefire was unlikely.
“That’s unfortunate. It seems Hamas isn’t interested in striking a deal. They prefer a different outcome,” Trump remarked while departing for a trip to Scotland.
“It’s a serious situation. We’ve reached a point where it’s necessary to complete the task at hand,” he commented.
“We’ll know what happens after the last hostage is accounted for. Essentially, that’s why they were hesitant to negotiate,” he added.
In May, Trump facilitated the release of Edan Alexander, an Israeli citizen taken hostage following Hamas’s surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the ongoing conflict. Alexander, who grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, served in the Israeli army at the time of his capture.
On the same day, Trump also responded to French President Emmanuel Macron’s intent to symbolically recognize Palestine.
“He’s an interesting guy. He seems to get along well and is part of the team. But honestly, his statement doesn’t carry much weight,” Trump remarked about Macron.
While most nations, including China, Russia, India, and Mexico, acknowledge Palestine as a nation, they have rival administrations in Gaza and the West Bank since 2007.
Trump proposed an effort to rebuild Gaza, which has about 2 million residents, primarily Muslims, along with smaller Christian populations.
To date, neighboring countries have turned down his offers to accept refugees.
