Donald Trump has signalled a renewed push to accelerate the second phase of the fragile Gaza peace plan, issuing a stark warning to Hamas while praising Israel’s compliance with the agreement so far.
Speaking after high-level talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida on Monday, the US president said he hoped to move to “phase two very quickly”, but stressed that disarmament by Hamas was non-negotiable.
“If they don’t disarm as they agreed to do, then there will be hell to pay,” Trump said during a joint press conference, adding that the militant group must give up its weapons “in a fairly short period of time”.
Trump and Netanyahu Meet as Pressure Builds on Gaza Deal
The meeting, held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, marked the fifth time this year the two leaders have met in the United States. It came amid growing concern within the White House that both Israel and Hamas are dragging their feet over the next stage of the ceasefire agreement, which first came into force in October.
Trump was unequivocal in his defence of Israel’s actions. He said Israel had “lived up to the plan 100%”, despite continued Israeli military operations in Gaza since the ceasefire began.
“I’m not concerned about anything that Israel’s doing,” he told reporters. “I’m concerned about what other people are doing, or maybe aren’t doing.”
What Phase Two of the Gaza Plan Entails
Under the agreed roadmap, phase two is meant to be transformative. It calls for the creation of a technocratic interim government in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory, and the complete disarmament of Hamas. Reconstruction of Gaza, left devastated by months of fighting, would then begin.
Trump said rebuilding efforts could start “pretty soon”, once the security conditions were met.
However, critics argue the sequencing of the plan remains deeply contentious. Some have suggested Netanyahu may seek to delay Israeli withdrawal until Hamas disarms, effectively reshaping the original intent of the agreement.
Netanyahu has also faced accusations of avoiding serious engagement on the longer-term political future of Palestinians, including questions around statehood.
Hamas, for its part, has insisted that full disarmament cannot happen in isolation. Its officials have said laying down weapons must coincide with meaningful progress towards an independent Palestinian state.
Ceasefire Strains and Rising Death Toll
Despite the ceasefire, violence has continued. Since October, at least 414 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The Israeli military, which now controls more than half of the territory, says it has only opened fire in response to ceasefire violations. It has blamed Hamas for the deaths of three Israeli soldiers during the same period.
Both sides accuse each other of repeatedly breaching the truce, underscoring how precarious the situation remains.
Hamas Rejects Disarmament as Key Sticking Point
On Monday, Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, reiterated that it would not surrender its weapons, one of the central obstacles to moving forward.
“Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation remains,” the group said in a video statement.
The Brigades also confirmed the death of their longtime spokesperson, Abu Obeida, months after Israel announced he had been killed in an air strike on August 30.
Trump Heaps Praise on Netanyahu
Trump used the meeting to lavish praise on Netanyahu, describing him as a leader who had guided Israel through an existential crisis.
“He is a wartime prime minister. He has done a phenomenal job,” Trump said. “Israel might not exist right now if you want to know the truth. That’s a pretty big statement, but I think if you had the wrong prime minister, Israel would not exist.”
Standing beside him, Netanyahu nodded and smiled as the president spoke.
Iran Looms Large in Talks
Beyond Gaza, Iran featured prominently in the discussions. Trump warned that the US would not hesitate to strike again if Tehran resumed rebuilding its ballistic missile or nuclear weapons programmes.
“I hope they’re not trying to build up again,” he said. “Because if they are, we’re going to have no choice but to eradicate that build-up.”
Trump said he had read reports suggesting Iran was using “possibly different sites” to develop its capabilities, following US air and missile strikes in June that he claimed had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities. Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons.
Tehran, which fought a 12-day war with Israel in June, dismissed the reports on Monday as a “psychological operation” and warned that any renewed aggression would lead to “harsher consequences” for Israel.
Syria, Hezbollah and Shifting Regional Dynamics
The talks also touched on other regional flashpoints, including Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Netanyahu said Israel was keen to maintain a peaceful border with Syria. Trump expressed hope that Israel could work with Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who took power after Bashar al-Assad was deposed last year.
Israel has remained deeply sceptical of al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda member, and carried out air strikes on government buildings in Damascus in July.
“You’re not going to get a choir boy to lead Syria,” Trump said, adding that the new leader was “working very hard to do a good job”.
Trump signed an executive order in June ending US sanctions against Syria.
Behind the Scenes: Diplomatic Friction and US Frustration
Netanyahu’s visit followed a whirlwind of diplomacy in Palm Beach, where Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a day earlier to discuss ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Gaza ceasefire remains one of the major foreign policy achievements of Trump’s first year back in power, and his administration is keen to maintain momentum. Trump is reportedly pushing to announce a Palestinian technocratic government for Gaza and deploy an international stabilisation force as early as January.
According to reports, Netanyahu met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ahead of his talks with Trump. Israeli officials said the prime minister would press Washington on ensuring Gaza is demilitarised and on the threat posed by Iran.
Yet signs of strain are emerging. Axios reported that senior White House officials are increasingly frustrated with what they see as Netanyahu’s attempts to stall the peace process.
“There are more and more signs that the American administration is getting frustrated with Netanyahu,” said Yossi Mekelberg of Chatham House.
A Fragile Path
As Trump looks to convene a new Gaza “Board of Peace” at the Davos forum in January, the stakes could hardly be higher. Phase two of the ceasefire is meant to bring lasting change, but only if both sides are willing to take politically painful steps.
