Trump Warns Hamas of Big Trouble if Truce Fails
He highlighted the wide support for the peace plan, saying several nations had agreed to join the Stabilization Force to help maintain peace in the region
Doha: United States President Donald Trump on Sunday expressed confidence in achieving lasting peace in the Middle East while warning Hamas of serious consequences if the ceasefire agreement with Israel is violated.
“I think it (ceasefire) will hold. Well, if it doesn't hold, it's Hamas. Hamas will not be hard to deal with very quickly. I hope it holds for Hamas too because they gave us their word on something,” Trump said during an interaction with reporters aboard Air Force One.
He highlighted the wide support for the peace plan, saying several nations had agreed to join the Stabilization Force to help maintain peace in the region. Trump credited the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as the turning point that made the deal possible.
“A year ago, it would have been very tough. The big thing was when we took out the nuclear power in Iran. That made a whole big difference in the Middle East,” he said.
Trump is travelling to Malaysia to attend the ASEAN summit and reaffirm ties with Asian nations. During a refuelling stop at Al-Udeid Air Base in Doha, he welcomed Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani aboard Air Force One.
The leaders discussed Middle East peace efforts, with Trump praising Qatar’s role. “He’s a great guy and a great leader. He helped us a lot. We talked about peace in the Middle East. He thinks it is enduring,” Trump said.
Trump also revealed that the International Stabilization Force (ISF) is nearing deployment, with member countries currently selecting leaders. “You’re going to have peace in the Middle East. This is real peace. For 3,000 years, this has never happened,” he added.
During his Asia tour, Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss reducing Russian oil purchases, pressuring Moscow toward a peace deal. He also plans to raise issues of trade, fentanyl smuggling, and agricultural cooperation.
When asked about relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said he was “disappointed” by the lack of progress toward peace, though he claimed Putin praised his Middle East peace efforts.
Trump also indicated openness to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, suggesting a possible revival of high-level diplomacy. After Malaysia, Trump will visit Japan to meet Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and later travel to South Korea for the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, where talks with Xi Jinping will focus on trade, rare earths, and fentanyl cooperation.