Just days after a breakthrough ceasefire brought a tenuous calm to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, United States President Donald Trump issued a series of stern warnings to Hamas, threatening to endorse renewed attacks if the group continues its violent crackdown on alleged collaborators and rival gangs. The statements, made on October 16, 2025, have cast a shadow over hopes for lasting peace and exposed the deep complexities that remain in forging a stable post-war order in Gaza.
President Trump’s warnings came in the wake of disturbing reports from Gaza, where, according to AP and CNN, Hamas fighters have used the lull in fighting to quickly and violently reassert control over the territory. Footage has circulated showing executions of Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel, as well as deadly clashes between Hamas and armed clan members. These internal conflicts, which erupted soon after the ceasefire took effect on October 11, have left many residents fearful and uncertain about what comes next.
In a social media post on Thursday, Trump wrote, “If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” The message, posted just three days after the ceasefire agreement was signed, marked a sharp escalation in rhetoric and suggested that the fragile truce could soon unravel if violence persists.
When pressed by reporters later that day, Trump clarified that American forces would not be the ones entering Gaza. “It’s not going to be us,” he said, as reported by AP and The New York Times. “We won’t have to. There are people very close, very nearby that will go in and they’ll do the trick very easily, but under our auspices.” The president’s comments were widely interpreted as a signal that Israel, operating with U.S. backing, could resume military operations against Hamas if the group fails to abide by the ceasefire’s terms.
Trump’s threats represented an abrupt about-face from his tone earlier in the week. On Tuesday, he appeared to accept Hamas’s crackdown on gangs in Gaza, telling reporters, “They did take out a couple of gangs that were very bad, very, very bad gangs. And they did take them out, and they killed a number of gang members. And that didn’t bother me much, to be honest with you. That’s OK.” According to CNN, Trump had even suggested that his administration was not opposed to Hamas reasserting itself as a police force in Gaza and shooting rivals, stating, “They’ve been open about it, and we gave them approval for a period of time.”
But as reports of executions and internal violence mounted, Trump shifted to a more hardline stance. On Thursday, he reiterated that Hamas must disarm as part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan. “They will disarm, and if they don’t do so, we will disarm them, and it’ll happen quickly and perhaps violently,” Trump told reporters, echoing previous warnings that force could be used if the group did not comply.
The ceasefire deal, which Trump has hailed as the dawn of “a new Middle East,” requires Hamas to lay down its arms and allow an international force to stabilize Gaza. However, it remains unclear whether Hamas has agreed to these terms in full. The group’s continued efforts to eliminate rivals and alleged collaborators have fueled doubts about its willingness to relinquish control or submit to outside oversight.
According to AP, deadly clashes between Hamas and armed clan members erupted over the weekend, with the Interior Ministry in Gaza issuing a general amnesty for gang members who did not participate in the bloodshed. The violence has been exacerbated by revelations that, as recently as June, Israeli officials admitted to arming certain Gaza gangs—some with ties to ISIL (ISIS)—in an effort to destabilize Hamas’s grip on the territory. In one particularly shocking incident on October 12, gunmen from a gang linked to Israel killed prominent Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi, according to local forces.
The internal strife has drawn sharp condemnation from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who denounced Hamas over accusations of executing suspected Israeli collaborators. In a statement, Abbas’s office called the purported killings “a heinous crime,” adding, “What happened represents a crime, a flagrant violation of human rights, and a serious assault on the principle of the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, Israel has accused Hamas of breaking the ceasefire agreement by dragging its feet on the return of deceased hostages. The Israeli government has also repeatedly violated the truce, killing Palestinians daily for approaching areas under Israeli military control—zones that, according to AP, are not always clearly marked. In addition, Israel has threatened to restrict humanitarian aid to Gaza and delayed the opening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, further complicating efforts to stabilize the region and provide relief to civilians.
Trump’s diplomatic efforts have included direct communication with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Thursday, after speaking with Netanyahu, Trump expressed confidence that the ceasefire would hold if Hamas honors its commitments. “We know that we have a commitment from them and I assume they’re going to honor their commitment,” he said, as reported by CNN. “If they don’t behave, we’ll take care of it.” He also told CNN’s Jake Tapper, “Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap out of them, they’d do that.”
The president’s shifting posture has left many observers questioning the sustainability of the ceasefire and the prospects for a lasting peace. While Trump initially celebrated the deal as marking the end of the war, his recent threats suggest that the situation remains highly volatile. Analysts cited by The New York Times note that the outbreak of internal violence in Gaza underscores the enormous challenges of enforcing disarmament and establishing effective governance in the territory.
For ordinary Palestinians in Gaza, the political maneuvering and threats of renewed violence are a grim reminder that peace remains elusive. Humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate, with aid deliveries restricted and the future of the enclave’s leadership still uncertain. As the international community watches closely, the coming days will test whether the ceasefire can hold—or whether Gaza will once again be plunged into chaos.
With both sides trading accusations and the U.S. president’s warnings hanging in the air, the fragile truce faces its most serious test yet. The world waits to see if the promise of a new Middle East can outlast the shadows of old grievances and new threats.