Hamas showed its true colors fast; a deal that had people daring to hope unraveled almost immediately when reports out of Gaza described brutal reprisal killings. When military pressure loosens and a terror group reasserts control, the first victims are the civilians who had pinned their peace hopes to a signature. That switch from optimism to horror forces a hard, clear response.
On Thursday, President Trump posted on Truth Social and attached .
The President wrote:
If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
No one likes playing prophet of despair, but the events that followed the signing left little room for surprise. Early reports say Hamas carried out reprisals against Gazans, a reality that makes tough talk more necessary than ever. Words backed by potential action are sometimes the only way to prevent more bloodshed.
It’s in the nature of Hamas to be murderous and brutal, and only a day after the signing of a historic peace deal between the terrorist group and Israel, Hamas is viciously reasserting control over the parts of Gaza that the Israeli military has withdrawn from; they are committing reprisals and public executions.
Hamas carried out mass public executions in Gaza on Monday, just hours after signing a peace treaty with Israel — as part of a series of bloody reprisals following the withdrawal of Israeli troops, gruesome video shows.
The graphic footage shows eight badly beaten, blindfolded men kneeling in the street before each is shot dead by Hamas gunmen in front of a cheering crowd.
The terror group said, without providing evidence, that the killings targeted “criminals and collaborators with Israel,” the BBC reported.
The detail about a cheering crowd is especially grim and raises a host of questions. Were those cheers free or produced under threat? Either way, seeing civilians celebrate executions points to deep social rot that will hamper any recovery in Gaza for decades.
The president’s choice to use the word “we” grabbed attention and rightly so. Is that phrasing a promise of American boots, a rededication of support for Israel, or a message that force will be coordinated with partners? Republicans want clarity and strength; vague handshakes will not end a terror gang’s reign.
A paper agreement does not stop militias from being militias. Until Hamas stops being the power on the ground, foreign investors and diplomats will stay away and ordinary people will keep risking their lives. There is no meaningful reconstruction or commerce while an armed group can execute dissenters in public.
The fallout from a failed or hollow peace effort will not be limited to Gaza. Other nations watching a deal fall apart will hesitate before making risky moves that could have paid off if the agreement held. For those who hoped peace would have ripple effects, today is a sober reminder of the hard work left to do.
Back to the president’s warning: This reply, at least, was chuckle-inducing:
Keep watching the situation; it can pivot fast and call for immediate decisions. If the choice becomes between allowing murders to continue and acting to stop them, leaders will have to show whether they meant what they said. This story is unfolding and liable to grow more consequential before it settles.
