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U.S. President Donald Trump expressed displeasure Monday at Israeli airstrikes on Gaza's Nasser Medical Complex that killed 20, including five journalists and a firefighter, while predicting the conflict could reach a conclusion within weeks.
"I'm not happy about it. I don't want to see it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
"At the same time, we have to end that nightmare. I'm the one that got the hostages out," he added.
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that at least 20 Palestinians, including patients, health workers, civil defense personnel and press members, were killed, while several others were injured in the Israeli attack.
The ministry said the Israeli army hit the fourth floor of one of the complex's buildings with two airstrikes, noting that the second strike occurred as rescue teams arrived to evacuate the wounded and recover the dead.
Official Palestine TV reported that among the deceased was its cameraman Hussam al-Masri, while Qatari channel Al Jazeera confirmed that its photographer Mohammad Salama was also killed.
A medical source confirmed to state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) the death of photojournalist Mariam Abu Dagga. Photojournalist Moaz Abu Taha was also killed in the Israeli strikes targeting the hospital. Medical sources also said that Ahmed Abu Aziz, a freelance reporter with Tunisian and Moroccan news sites, died of injuries he sustained in the Israeli strikes.
Trump said he believes "a little bit less than 20" hostages being held in Gaza remain alive, suggesting that "one or two are gone."
"When we get down to that final 10 or 20, these people aren't going to release them, because they're dead after they release them. So, it's a nasty situation, very nasty, horrible thing," he said.
It is unclear what the U.S. president was basing his assessment on. Israel has previously said that about 50 hostages remain in Gaza, including 20 who are believed to be alive.
Later, addressing reporters while hosting South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, Trump voiced optimism that an end to the conflict would soon be reached. Trump said he believes the war is "coming to a head. It's coming to an end."
"I think that we will have, I think the next two to three weeks, you're going to have a pretty good, conclusive, conclusive ending," Trump said.
"Right now, they're talking about Gaza City. They're always about something. It's going to get settled. And I'm saying you better get it settled soon. You have to get it settled soon," he added, referring to the Israeli government's stated aim of occupying Gaza's largest city.
In response to questions about Gaza's humanitarian crisis, Trump acknowledged the severity of the situation. "This situation must be resolved as soon as possible. This must end immediately. It must end because hunger and all other problems, such as the killing of people, which is worse than hunger, continue," Trump said.
The president said the U.S. has sent $60 million in food aid to Gaza and that these supplies have been distributed. When asked whether the U.S. was making diplomatic efforts with Israel to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Trump said they were making such efforts.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added, "These efforts of ours never stopped; we are working for a solution without Hamas."
Meanwhile, a former Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate Chief Amos Yadlin said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's goal is not Israel's security but his own political survival.
Speaking to Israel's 103 FM, Yadlin said Netanyahu's strategy is to buy time, which is why he has not decided where the ceasefire negotiating team should go or who should lead the team.
"The Prime Minister should convince us, of course, if it matters to him. Because it seems to me that he no longer takes into account the Israeli public or even the Chief of General Staff (Eyal Zamir). His concern is not Israel's security or interests, but his own political survival," Yadlin said.
Yadlin said the entire world wants the war to stop, and if the prime minister really wants this, he can resort to a partial agreement. He argued that the government should have put a ceasefire on the table months ago.
"Hamas will not accept disarmament and Israel's control of Gaza's security, but I think it will accept all other conditions. It will give up civilian administration, accept the return of all prisoners and Israel having some control over Gaza's reconstruction," Yadlin said.
Israel has killed more than 62,700 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
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