‘No guarantees that peace will hold’ says Trump on Gaza ceasefire

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concerns regarding the stability of the ceasefire in Gaza, stating, “I have no guarantees that the peace is going to hold.”

This statement comes as President Trump prepares for a critical meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Key details

• Uncertainty over ceasefire: In his remarks, Trump emphasized the lack of certainty about the continuation of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, underlining the challenges of ensuring long-term peace in the region.
• Netanyahu’s extended visit: As a result of the ongoing discussions, Netanyahu’s visit to the United States has been extended until Saturday. The extension is attributed to the intensity of the talks, particularly those concerning the ceasefire.

Asked if he would support Israel’s annexation of the occupied West Bank, Trump left the door open to the proposal.

“Well, I’m not going to talk about that. It certainly is a small country in terms of land,” he said. “Actually, it’s a pretty small piece of land, and it’s amazing that they’ve been able to do what they’ve been able to do. When you think about it, it’s a lot of good smart brain power, but it is a very small piece of land, no question about it.”

Jenin operation

In the West Bank — which is separated from the Gaza Strip by Israeli territory — Israel said it had killed at least 50 militants and detained more than 100 “wanted individuals” in an operation that began on January 21.

Israel’s military says the offensive is aimed at rooting out Palestinian armed groups from the Jenin area, where militants have long operated.

On Sunday, Palestinian official news agency WAFA said Israeli forces “simultaneously detonated about 20 buildings” in the Jenin refugee camp.

On Monday, the Palestinian presidency denounced the operation in the territory, which Israel has occupied since 1967 and where violence has surged since the Gaza war began.

In a statement, spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the Palestinian presidency “condemned the occupation authorities’ expansion of their comprehensive war on our Palestinian people in the West Bank to implement their plans aimed at displacing citizens and ethnic cleansing”.