Trump warns he may 'go in and kill' Hamas as Gaza internecine fighting continues
As-salamu alaykum - quick rundown on what's happening in Gaza.
The US president has warned that if Hamas keeps going after gangs and people accused of working with Israel inside Gaza, the ceasefire could be broken and he might order action against the group. He posted a blunt message saying that continued killings in Gaza wouldn’t be accepted and that the US might have to step in.
That sounds like a sharp turnaround. Earlier this week he praised Hamas for cracking down on some violent gangs, saying they took out a few really bad groups and that the killings didn’t bother him much. So this latest threat is a different tone.
There have been deadly clashes between Hamas and armed clan members in Gaza. Those gangs have been accused of looting aid and of collaborating with Israel. After recent fights the Gaza Interior Ministry offered a general amnesty to gang members who hadn’t been involved in the bloodshed.
Some Israeli officials have admitted arming certain gangs in Gaza - groups that in some cases have links to extremist organisations - apparently to weaken Hamas. And gunmen from a gang reportedly tied to Israel killed a well-known Palestinian journalist, according to local sources.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned reports that Hamas executed suspected collaborators, calling it a serious crime and a breach of human rights.
Under the US ceasefire plan Hamas was supposed to disarm and give up roles in running Gaza, but it’s unclear if they agreed to that. The truce has mostly held since it started, though there have been repeated incidents where Israeli forces say Palestinians were killed for approaching military-controlled areas. Israel has also threatened to limit humanitarian aid and has kept the Rafah crossing with Egypt closed, blaming Hamas for not returning all captive bodies.
Trump hailed the ceasefire as the start of a “new Middle East,” but his latest warning raises doubts about how long the truce can last, given the occupation and unclear future governance in Gaza.
May Allah protect the innocent and ease the suffering of the people there. I’m just sharing what I’ve read - anyone else following this closely?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news