Trump Says There Will Be ‘No Choice But To Go In And Kill’ Hamas If Violence In Gaza Doesn’t End
President Donald Trump delivered a blunt ultimatum to Hamas on Thursday, warning the terror group that if it continues to wage violence in Gaza, “we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.”
The warning, posted to Trump’s Truth Social account, comes as Hamas operatives have resumed executions of rival factions and cracked down on Gazans in defiance of a Trump-brokered ceasefire deal with Israel.
“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,” Trump wrote. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Pressed later by reporters, Trump clarified that the U.S. would not be sending troops into the Gaza Strip but made it clear that other regional forces, acting under American coordination, were prepared to intervene.
“I didn’t say who will go in, but somebody will go in,” Trump said. “It’s not going to be us. We won’t have to. There are people very close, very nearby that will go in. They’ll do the trick very easily, but under our auspices.”
Under Trump’s Middle East peace initiative, Hamas agreed to an initial ceasefire in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, including convicted terrorists, while freeing all remaining living hostages. But the deal also required Hamas to surrender its weapons and relinquish control of Gaza — conditions the terror group has so far refused to meet.
Recent reports indicate Hamas has begun targeting rival groups, reportedly executing around 20 fighters this week. At least 10 Hamas fighters have been killed in the resulting clashes, further destabilizing the fragile ceasefire.
Trump’s comments came one day after U.S. Central Command issued a formal warning to Hamas. Admiral Brad Cooper urged the group to take “an historic opportunity for peace” by adhering fully to Trump’s 20-point plan and surrendering their weapons “without delay.”
Earlier this week, Trump said he remained optimistic Hamas would comply — voluntarily or by force.
“They’re going to disarm because they said they were going to disarm,” Trump said Tuesday. “And if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them.”
“They know I’m not playing games,” he added.
While Trump’s administration continues pushing forward with post-ceasefire diplomacy, the White House has made clear that U.S. troops will not be deployed into combat. According to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, approximately 200 American personnel already stationed under U.S. Central Command are tasked with overseeing implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
Reports suggesting broader troop deployments were dismissed by Leavitt as “NOT true and taken out of context.”
Vice President JD Vance echoed the message on Sunday, stating, “We’re not planning to put boots on the ground. What we already have is a U.S. Central Command… They’re going to monitor the terms of the ceasefire. They’re going to monitor, ensure the humanitarian aid is flowing.”
As the Trump administration balances diplomacy and deterrence, the president is leaning on regional partners and hard pressure to force Hamas into compliance — with the future of peace in Gaza hanging in the balance.