President Donald Trump accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement and threatened to give Israel approval to resume the war. Over the weekend, Tel Aviv claimed Hamas carried out an attack in Rafah, and responded by dropping bombs across the Strip. 

“We made a deal with Hamas that they’re going to be very good, they’re going to behave, they’re going to be nice, and if not, we’re going to eradicate them if we have to,” Trump said on Monday. They got very rambunctious, and they did things that they shouldn’t be doing. If they keep doing it, then we’re going to straighten it out, and it’ll happen very quickly and pretty violently.”

Trump warns he’ll ‘VIOLENTLY’ and QUICKLY ‘straighten’ out Hamas

‘This is a violent group… if they keep doing it then WE will go in and straighten it out’

‘It will happen very quickly and pretty violently’

Will he send US troops to FIGHT Hamas? pic.twitter.com/XWN3omTFU5

— RT (@RT_com) October 20, 2025

When asked to clarify what countries would attack Hamas, Trump said several nations had offered, but he would give Israel approval to resume the war. “We had countries calling me when they saw the killing with Hamas, saying, ‘We’d love to go in and take care of the situation ourselves.’” He continued, “In addition, Israel would go in in two minutes if I asked them. I could tell them, ‘Go in and take care of it.’ But right now, we haven’t said that. We’re going to give it a little chance.”

ANOTHER warning from Trump to Hamas

‘They have to be good. And if they’re not good, they’ll be ERADICATED’

‘I could tell (Israel) them, go in and take care of it’ https://t.co/7tgfStD13Y pic.twitter.com/qE0tyO0adY

— RT (@RT_com) October 20, 2025

Israel pummeled Gaza on Sunday after accusing Hamas of conducting an attack in Rafah. At least 40 Palestinians, including journalists and children, were killed by the Israeli strikes. Tel Aviv also temporarily halted aid deliveries to the Strip.

Some sources say that Hamas did not attack Israel in Rafah, and the explosion that damaged an Israeli bulldozer was caused by the machine hitting an unexploded bomb as it was destroying Palestinian homes. 

Ryan Grim reports speaking with a source who said the Trump administration knew Israel was lying that the explosion was caused by a Hamas attack. “Soon after the explosion in Rafah, I’m told by a source familiar, the White House and Pentagon knew that the incident was caused by an Israeli settler bulldozer running over unexploded ordnance — contradicting  Netanyahu’s claim that Hamas had popped up from tunnels,” Grim wrote on X. 

His post continued, “After Netanyahu said he was blocking all aid from entering Gaza in response, and unleashed a bombing campaign, the administration conveyed to Israel that they know what happened. Netanyahu then announced he would re-open the crossings in a few hours.”

Soon after the explosion in Rafah, I’m told by a source familiar, the White House and Pentagon knew that the incident was caused by an Israeli settler bulldozer running over unexploded ordnance — contradicting Netanyahu’s claim that Hamas had popped up from tunnels.

After… https://t.co/Xwy63sEL3M

— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) October 19, 2025