U.S. President Donald Trump has affirmed that a ceasefire in Gaza remains in place, following a severe escalation of violence over the weekend that marked the first major test of the fragile truce.
The flare-up began after Israel accused the Palestinian armed group Hamas of carrying out an attack that killed two Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. In response, Israel launched a series of airstrikes across Gaza, which officials reported killed dozens of people.
Hamas leadership has denied any involvement in the attack on the Israeli soldiers. Despite the incident, officials from both sides have since recommitted to the ceasefire plan, which the United States has vowed to guarantee.
“We want to make sure that it’s going to be very peaceful with Hamas and as you know they’ve been quite rambunctious,” President Trump told reporters. “They’ve been doing some shooting and we think maybe the leadership isn’t involved in that. You know, some rebels within. But either way it’s going to be handled properly. It’s going to be handled toughly but properly.”
When asked directly if the ceasefire was still in place, the President responded, “Yeah. Yes. Yes.”
The United States is moving to shore up the agreement by dispatching senior envoys to the region. Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to arrive in Israel tomorrow, underscoring the urgency of the moment. President Trump’s Middle East envoys, Steve Wit and Jared Kushner, who were instrumental in brokering the initial agreement, are already on the ground. They are holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and are expected to travel to Cairo, Egypt, for direct talks with Hamas, mediated by Egyptian officials.
These discussions are focused on the complex second phase of the ceasefire, which includes the recovery of the bodies of deceased hostages still in Gaza and the establishment of a transitional governing authority for the territory.
The United Nations also weighed in on the situation. A spokesperson for the Secretary-General stated, “We are encouraged that the parties have reaffirmed their commitments to implementing the ceasefire in Gaza and commend the steadfast efforts of the mediators. We do however remain concerned by all acts of violence in Gaza and the reported attacks and strikes that took place yesterday. We urge all parties to honor all of their commitments to ensure the protection of civilians and avoid any actions that could lead to a renewal of hostilities and undermine humanitarian operations.”
Humanitarian aid, which had been scaled up since the truce took hold about ten days ago, was briefly suspended during the weekend’s violence but has since resumed. UN officials, including Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher, are in the region assessing the situation, with the broader message being that while aid flow has improved, it remains insufficient.
Looking ahead, diplomatic efforts are underway at the United Nations Security Council to draft a resolution authorizing an international stabilization force to provide security in Gaza during the transitional phase. A European diplomat, speaking on the process, stated, “We remain committed to doing all we can to ensure that phase two of President Trump’s plan is enacted at pace and continue to work with a range of partners including the United States, Europeans and countries in the region. The terms of reference for an international stabilization force are still being drawn up.”
Reports suggest that Egypt or Jordan could lead such a force, which would be composed of troop-contributing countries from the region. However, the parameters of the force and its final composition remain subjects of ongoing and delicate negotiations. Any such force would ultimately require the agreement of Israel, which, as the occupying power, controls access to the region.
