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President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Hamas on Monday, saying the group would be "eradicated" if it fails to uphold the Gaza ceasefire agreement with Israel, while acknowledging he would give the organization "a little chance" to comply.
"We made a deal with Hamas that they're going to be very good, they're going to behave," Trump told reporters. "And if they're not, we're going to go and we're going to eradicate them. If we have to, they'll be eradicated."
The president's comments came as the 10-day-old truce faced its most serious test following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza over the weekend. The strikes occurred after Israel accused Hamas of killing two Israeli soldiers near the "yellow line," the boundary to which Israeli military have withdrawn under the first phase of the ceasefire.
Speaking aboard Air Force One late Sunday, Trump insisted the ceasefire remained intact despite the escalation. He said the administration believed Hamas leadership may not have been involved in the alleged truce violation.
When asked whether Israel's retaliatory strikes were justified, Trump said, "I'd have to get back to you on that," adding the matter was "under review." He said the situation would be "handled toughly, but properly."
Israeli military confirmed Sunday it had begun "renewed enforcement of the ceasefire." According to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, at least 23 people were killed in Israeli attacks that day.
Hamas denied involvement in the Rafah incident and accused Israel of fabricating pretexts for military action. The group's government media office claimed Israel had committed "80 violations" of the ceasefire since it began, resulting in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner traveled to Israel, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a government spokesperson. Vice President J.D. Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance were also expected to visit.
On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the Israeli military to warn Hamas through an "American oversight mechanism" that any Hamas member found beyond the yellow line must evacuate immediately or face attack. He said Hamas leaders would be held responsible for any incident.
Israel has been accused of opening fire on Palestinians multiple times, with the Israeli military confirming at least one incident near the boundary. It remained unclear how well Palestinians understand where the line sits, though video released Monday showed yellow blocks being placed along the boundary to mark it.
The ceasefire agreement has faced multiple obstacles beyond the military confrontations. Hamas has struggled to return all remains of deceased hostages held in Gaza, a difficulty both the Hamas and the International Committee of the Red Cross have attributed to locating bodies amid extensive rubble. The movement of humanitarian aid into Gaza has also become a contentious issue under the deal.
An Israeli security official said Monday that aid would enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, while the Rafah crossing remained closed.
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For families on both sides, the fragile truce has brought little relief. Orna Neutra, whose son Omer, a 21-year-old Isreali soldier from New York, is among those whose remains are held in Gaza, said Hamas had not fulfilled its obligations.
"Hamas hasn't been living up to their part of the deal," she told NBC News on Monday. "Our son, he's still there."
In Gaza, families have traveled to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis attempting to identify loved ones among bodies returned by Israel under the agreement. Mohammad Al-Masri said he was searching for his 18-year-old son Haitham, who disappeared nearly two years ago.
"We don't know his fate — whether he is alive or dead," said his wife, Samar Al-Masri.
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