Trump says Hamas will disarm or the US will force them 'perhaps violently'
Trump said the release of 20 live hostages was 'monumental' but that fewer dead hostages might be released than previously thought.
Bart JansenWASHINGTON – One day after his trip to the Middle East to celebrate a ceasefire agreement, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Hamas would disarm in “a reasonable period of time” or the U.S. will disarm them "perhaps violently."
“If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them and it will happen quickly and perhaps violently,” Trump said. “But they will disarm.”
Trump was asked how he would disarm Hamas, if it came to that. “I don’t have to explain that to you,” Trump replied. “They know I’m not playing games.”
Trump’s comments came less than a day after he returned from a trip to the Israel and Egypt where he declared the war between Israel and Hamas over. But after releasing 20 live hostages, the relatives of dead hostages have questioned the release of their remains.
“We did something monumental,” Trump said. “We got the hostages back.”
But other issues in his 20-point peace plan must still be fulfilled, including Hamas surrendering its arms.
Trump said the release of dead hostages has become less clear because there had been talk of 24 or 26, but now there appear to be fewer. The remains of four hostages were released Oct. 13.
“It seems as if they don’t have that because they’re talking about a much lesser number,” Trump said. “That’s a very tough subject. I want them back.”
In terms of disarming Hamas, Trump remained vague on a deadline.
“A reasonable period of time,” Trump said.