Trump approves Israeli retaliation but says ceasefire will hold

Despite repeated ceasefire violations by Hamas, Trump insisted that “nothing will jeopardize” the truce.

By World Israel News Staff

President Donald Trump expressed approval for Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes against Hamas after the killing of an IDF soldier and the group’s staged deception involving a hostage’s body.

Despite the escalation in tensions, Trump said he was confident that the ceasefire between Jerusalem and the terror group would continue to hold.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Hamas “killed an Israeli soldier. So the Israelis hit back. And they should hit back.”

The president added, “Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave. They said they would be good, and if they’re good, they’re going to be happy, and if they’re not good, they’re going to be terminated.”

“Nothing is going to jeopardize” the truce, Trump stated.

Trump made no mention of his Saturday evening social media post in which he called on Hamas to uphold its end of the ceasefire and return the bodies of all slain hostages within 48 hours.

That deadline expired Monday night, when Hamas claimed to have transferred the remains of a deceased hostage to the Red Cross. However, forensic testing in Tel Aviv determined that the partial remains, which Hamas said it had “recently discovered,” belonged to a hostage who had already been repatriated to Israel in 2023.

The incident added to growing frustration over Hamas’ refusal to return the bodies of hostages still held in Gaza, despite its supposed commitment to the truce.

Hours before Trump’s comments, Vice President JD Vance — who recently visited Israel — appeared to downplay the violations during a conversation with reporters.

“The ceasefire is holding. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be little skirmishes here and there,” Vance said.

“We know that Hamas or somebody else within Gaza attacked an IDF soldier,” he continued, appearing to lend credence to Hamas’ claim that independent terror factions were responsible for the recent attacks.

“We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the president’s peace is going to hold despite it,” Vance concluded.