Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Hamas, stating the group will face severe consequences if it fails to disarm, while expressing strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago. Netanyahu, in turn, announced that Trump would be awarded the Israel Prize, the country’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his support for Israel.
The meeting comes amid efforts to advance the stalled Gaza ceasefire and implement the second phase of a peace plan involving a Palestinian technocratic interim authority and an international stabilisation force. Trump emphasized that any failure by Hamas to fulfill its disarmament commitments could prompt intervention from other countries supporting the peace deal.
Hamas has retained some weapons and continues to assert control over Gaza, refusing full disarmament. Israel has demanded the return of the remains of the last Israeli hostage, a key condition before moving forward with further steps of the ceasefire agreement. Trump and Netanyahu also discussed regional security issues, including concerns about Iran’s nuclear capabilities, with Trump warning of decisive action if Iran resumes its nuclear build-up.