President Trump Warns of Serious Consequences if Hamas Refuses to Disarm

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that Hamas would face "severe consequences" if it did not immediately disarm as part of a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, which he said Israel had complied with.

"If they do not disarm as they have agreed, there will be serious consequences for them," President Trump said at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (30/12).

"They have to disarm in a fairly short period of time," President Trump said.

The US president publicly backed Netanyahu, who has taken a hard line to push ahead with the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire plan.

"I'm not worried about anything Israel does," President Trump said.

"I worry about what others do or might not do. But I'm not worried. They have fulfilled the plan," he said.

Earlier, the military wing of the Hamas militant group on Monday reiterated that it would not surrender its weapons, a key issue expected to be discussed in talks between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as long as there are still Israeli soldiers in Palestinian territory.

"Our people are defending themselves and will not surrender their weapons as long as the occupation is still ongoing," a new spokesman for the Izzuddin Al-Qassam Brigades, which has adopted the name of its late predecessor Abu Obeida, said in a video statement.

President Trump is expected to push for progress on a stalled truce in the Gaza Strip, when he receives Netanyahu on Monday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for talks that will include Israeli concerns about Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran.

Regarding Gaza, Israel and Hamas agreed to President Trump's plan to end the war in October, which ultimately led Israel to withdraw from Gaza, while Hamas handed over its weapons and relinquished its role in governing the territory.

The first phase of the ceasefire includes the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, increased aid, and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

An Israeli official in Netanyahu's circle said the prime minister would demand that the first phase of the ceasefire be completed with Hamas returning the last remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, before moving on to the next stage.

Israel and Hamas themselves accuse each other of major violations of the agreement and do not seem to have agreed to accept the much more difficult measures planned for the next phase.

Hamas, which refuses to disarm, has reaffirmed its control as Israeli forces remain entrenched around half of the territory.

Meanwhile, Israel has indicated that if Hamas is not disarmed peacefully, Israel will continue military action to force Hamas to do so.