US President Donald Trump expressed doubts on Monday about the lasting effectiveness of the Gaza ceasefire, despite taking credit for facilitating the agreement between Israel and Hamas. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump stated, “I’m not confident. It’s not our war, it’s their war.” He further commented on the devastation in Gaza, describing it as “like a massive demolition site” and emphasized that it needs to be rebuilt in a completely new way.
Trump’s skepticism is shared by many, including right-wing Israeli politicians who view the ceasefire as a surrender to Hamas. Itamar Ben-Gvir, a member of the Jewish Power party, resigned from his position as national security minister, weakening Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s parliamentary majority. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has warned that he might also resign unless Netanyahu breaks the ceasefire once an initial 42-day phase concludes. Smotrich claimed that he had secured a promise from Netanyahu to resume military action to eliminate Hamas and remove the threat permanently.
On Sunday night, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that both President Trump and President Biden had fully supported Israel’s right to resume fighting if the country determines that negotiations for Phase B are unsuccessful. He expressed his gratitude for their backing.
This week, Israeli media has been filled with speculation that the commitment to potentially restart the war could jeopardize negotiations for phase two of the ceasefire agreement, which are set to begin on February 4. If phase two proceeds, it would involve the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Trump’s skepticism about the ceasefire contrasted with his earlier pledge during his inaugural address, where he promised to “measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end.”
Among the executive orders Trump signed after taking office was one that lifted sanctions imposed by the Biden administration on Israeli settlers accused of violent actions in the occupied West Bank.
Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, was quick to thank Trump for his actions and expressed his hopes for continued cooperation to enhance Israel’s national security, expand settlements throughout the Land of Israel, and strengthen Israel’s global position. Smotrich has been a strong advocate for re-establishing Jewish settlements in Gaza, which were dismantled in 2005 under an Israeli order. He was briefly arrested—though never charged—during protests against the withdrawal at that time.
It is unclear what Trump thinks of efforts to reshape Gaza’s governance. However, when asked on Monday about who should rule Gaza, he stated that “you certainly can’t have the people that were there,” seemingly referring to Hamas. He also mentioned that most of them are dead and criticized their governance as brutal and ineffective, adding, “it was run viciously and badly.”
When asked if he could have a role in rebuilding Gaza, Trump responded that he “might” be able to, praising the area’s prime location by the sea and its favorable weather.
These comments mirror those made by his son-in-law Jared Kushner in February 2024. Kushner described Gaza’s waterfront property as “very valuable” and suggested that Israel could relocate Palestinians and “clean it up.”
