Trump says Hamas must disarm or face consequences

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (December 29) played down any differences with Israel on the implementation of a ceasefire in Gaza, telling reporters as he stood alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “there's very little difference in what we're looking at and where we want to be.”

Asked if he was concerned about whether Israel was moving too slowly to Phase II of the agreement, Trump said he was “not concerned about anything Israel is doing” and that Israel “has lived up to the plan 100 percent.”

Since the ceasefire was declared, Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 Palestinians — most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials — and Palestinian militants have killed three Israeli soldiers.

The ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10, but heavy Israeli bombardment and military operations in Gaza destroyed much of the territory’s infrastructure, and living conditions are dire.

Trump also said that Palestinian militant group Hamas must disarm or “there’ll be hell to pay”, though he said “we don’t want that.”

Production: Ashraf Fahim/Reuters