President Trump on Thursday threatened that “we” would have to “go in and kill” Hamas in Gaza if the group continues killing alleged criminals and Israeli collaborators, reversing his previous support for Hamas’s armed action.
“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!” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Over the weekend, dozens were killed in clashes between Hamas and other militias in Gaza, and some Palestinians were summarily executed. But it’s unclear if there have been any internal clashes or executions in Gaza in recent days, while Israeli forces have continued to kill Palestinians despite the ceasefire, something Trump hasn’t condemned.
After the clashes, Hamas offered amnesty to members of armed groups and gave them until October 19 to surrender. According to a report from Sky News, at least three anti-Hamas militias that operate in areas of Gaza controlled by the Israeli military are refusing to disarm.
Israel has armed gangs and militias as part of its strategy against Hamas, including a gang led by Yasser Abu Shabab, who is known for looting aid trucks. Some members of the Abu Shabab gang, which controls territory in southern Gaza under the watch of the IDF, have ties to ISIS.
Trump’s comments on Thursday mark a departure from his support for Hamas’s activity in Gaza. He said earlier this week that Hamas had “approval” to reassert control of areas of Gaza to prevent crime and also said the people the group executed were gang members.
“You know, 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, it’s a couple of very bad gangs,” the president said on Tuesday.
