US President Donald Trump has said that the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas will be given a “very short” period to disarm as part of ongoing negotiations, issuing a warning of consequences if the group refuses to comply.

His remarks came during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, once again underscoring Washington’s alignment with Israel amid the ongoing war on Gaza.

“We talked about Hamas, and we talked about disarmament, and they’re going to be given a very short period of time to disarm, and we’ll see how that works out,” Trump said. He added that if Hamas fails to disarm, it would be made to “pay,” without elaborating on what measures would follow.

Trump stated that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would oversee the disarmament issue on behalf of the United States, signaling continued US involvement in shaping outcomes that directly affect the Palestinian resistance and the future of Gaza.

US and Israel Differ on West Bank, Trump Claims

Despite repeated affirmations of strong US-Israeli ties, Trump acknowledged that Washington and Tel Aviv do not fully agree on the future of the occupied West Bank. “I wouldn’t say we agree on the West Bank 100%,” he said, while expressing confidence that a solution would eventually be reached.

The West Bank remains under intensified Israeli military pressure, with near-daily raids, arrests, and killings, alongside escalating threats of formal annexation and ongoing settlement expansion.

Trump Hopes for Improved Israel-Syria Relations

Turning to regional issues, Trump said he hoped Israel would establish positive relations with Syria’s newly inaugurated president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. “I hope that Israel and he will get along. I will try and make it so that they do get along,” Trump told reporters following his meeting with Netanyahu.

Trump Claims Israel Fully Honored Gaza Ceasefire

During the same press conference, Trump asserted that Israel had fully complied with its obligations under the Gaza ceasefire framework, dismissing concerns over Israeli actions. “I’m not concerned about anything that Israel is doing,” he said. “Israel’s lived up to the plan 100%.”

Trump further claimed that the United States helped secure the agreement by “taking out” Iran, echoing long-standing US rhetoric that frames regional instability through the lens of confrontation with Tehran rather than Israeli occupation and aggression.

Reality on the Ground Contradicts US Claims

Trump’s assertions sharply contradict the reality faced by Palestinians. Since the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire initiative, Israeli forces have killed hundreds of Palestinians, including large numbers of women and children. The Israeli occupation has continued expanding so-called “buffer” or “yellow” zones inside the Gaza Strip, resulting in further land confiscation and mass displacement.

In both Gaza and the West Bank, Israel has repeatedly violated ceasefire terms through military incursions, arbitrary arrests, targeted assassinations, and collective punishment measures. These actions have deepened the humanitarian crisis and undermined any genuine prospects for peace.

Palestinian observers and human rights groups argue that demands for disarmament, made while Israel continues its military campaign and occupation, reflect a deeply imbalanced approach that ignores the root causes of the conflict: occupation, siege, and decades of denial of Palestinian rights. (ILKHA)