While newly inaugurated President Donald Trump was instrumental in forcing Israel’s government to accept the ceasefire agreement with Hamas in Gaza, what comes next is still unclear. Trump said last night that he was not confident that the ceasefire in Gaza will hold through all three phases. “It’s not our war. It is their war. I am not confident,” Trump said, in response to a question from reporters, while signing executive orders in the Oval Office, shortly after his inauguration, reported the Times of Israel. “But I think they’re very weakened on the other side,” Trump said, apparently referring to Hamas.
Trump continued, saying that Gaza “is like a massive demolition site” that will have to be “rebuilt in a different way.” He noted that Gaza is in a “phenomenal location” along the Mediterranean Sea with the “best weather,” adding that “beautiful things could be done over there, fantastic things.” When asked if he would help rebuild Gaza, the President responded: “I might.” When questioned as to who will govern Gaza after the war, Trump said it can’t be Hamas, since “they didn’t exactly run it well” and “most of them are dead.”
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, is considering a visit to Gaza as part of his efforts to keep the ceasefire on track, NBC News reported yesterday. NBC cited “a transition official with direct knowledge of the ceasefire process.” Witkoff also plans to be a near-constant presence in the region, over the coming weeks and months, to troubleshoot flare-ups on the ground that he believes could unravel the agreement and halt the release of hostages held by Hamas at any moment, the official said. At the same time, Witkoff is working to achieve long-term stability for the Israelis and 2 million displaced Palestinians, the path to which runs through the three phases of the deal reached this past week.