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Trump's Strong Stance on Gaza Conflict

On Friday, US President Donald Trump attributed the failure of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza to Hamas, indicating his support for Israel to ramp up its military efforts. Speaking to reporters before his departure for Scotland, Trump remarked, “I think they want to die, and it’s very, very bad.” He emphasized that the situation had reached a point where decisive action was necessary.

These remarks represent a notable change from just a few weeks ago when Trump expressed optimism about a potential agreement that would resolve the conflict, facilitate the release of hostages, and enable humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza. Recently, the Trump administration withdrew its negotiators from discussions in Doha, citing concerns that Hamas was not acting in good faith. Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy, mentioned he was considering alternative strategies to secure the release of hostages.

When asked about his recent conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump described them as “sort of disappointing.” He stated, “They’re gonna have to fight and they’re gonna have to clean it up. You’re gonna have to get rid of ’em.” While Trump placed the blame on Hamas, officials from Egypt and Qatar characterized the current pause in negotiations as typical for such complex discussions. A senior Israeli official also indicated that the talks had not collapsed.

Trump noted that Hamas had little motivation to negotiate, especially with the number of hostages dwindling. “Now we’re down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages, and basically, because of that, they really didn’t want to make a deal,” he explained. US officials hope that Trump’s assertive comments and Witkoff’s withdrawal will compel Hamas to re-engage in negotiations.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated, “We’ve tried. The world has watched this. What the options are — clearly there are many tools in President Trump’s tool chest, many options that Special Envoy Witkoff has.”

At the White House, Trump addressed criticism regarding US aid, asserting, “People don’t know this, and we didn’t certainly get any acknowledgment or thank you, but we contributed $60 million to food and supplies and everything else. We hope the money gets there, because you know, that money gets taken. The food gets taken. We’re going to do more, but we gave a lot of money.”

An internal review by the US has found no substantial evidence of widespread theft of US-funded aid by Hamas in Gaza. Trump is set to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland over the weekend, who recently described Israel’s military actions in Gaza as “indefensible.”

French President Emmanuel Macron also made headlines by announcing France's intention to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Trump dismissed this announcement, stating, “The statement doesn’t carry any weight. He’s a very good guy. I like him. But that statement doesn’t carry weight.”