US President Donald Trump reaffirmed that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains in effect, despite a series of deadly Israeli airstrikes on Gaza triggered by what he described as “rebels within” Hamas who violated the truce.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump stated, “Yeah, it is,” when asked if the ceasefire still stood. He emphasized that Hamas’s top leadership might not have been involved in the violations, suggesting instead that internal factions could be behind the renewed violence.
“But either way, it’s going to be handled properly. It’s going to be handled toughly, but properly,” Trump added, signaling a firm yet cautious approach.
The Israeli military confirmed that it had resumed enforcement of the ceasefire following attacks on Hamas targets, accusing the group of firing on its troops — the most serious escalation since the truce began over nine days ago.
According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, at least 45 Palestinians were killed in the recent strikes, with several others injured. Israel’s military said it was reviewing the reports of casualties.
Trump, who helped broker the ceasefire earlier this month, expressed cautious optimism about maintaining peace. “We want to make sure that it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas,” he said. “They’ve been quite rambunctious. They’ve been doing some shooting, and we think maybe the leadership isn’t involved in that.”
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance played down the new wave of violence, acknowledging the fragile nature of peace efforts. “There are going to be fits and starts,” he said. “Hamas is going to fire on Israel. Israel is going to have to respond. But it still has the best chance for a sustainable peace.”
The truce, which began on October 10, marked a significant pause after more than two years of devastating conflict that left Gaza in ruins and tens of thousands dead. The agreement also included plans for hostage and prisoner exchanges and a broader roadmap for Gaza’s future.
However, challenges have quickly emerged in implementing the deal. Vance called on Gulf Arab nations to take on a more active role in stabilizing the region by creating a “security infrastructure” to ensure Hamas is disarmed — a critical element of the peace framework.
“Our Gulf allies don’t yet have the mechanisms in place to verify Hamas’s disarmament,” Vance explained, adding that a member of the Trump administration is expected to visit Israel in the coming days to assess the situation firsthand.
While no details were confirmed, Vance hinted, “It might be me.”
