State Department warns Hamas could break ceasefire by attacking Gaza population

The US State Department warned on Saturday that there were “credible reports” that Hamas could breach the peace agreement by launching a “planned attack” against Palestinian civilians.

“This planned attack against Palestinian civilians would constitute a direct and serious violation of the ceasefire agreement and undermine the significant progress made through mediation efforts,” the department said in a statement posted on social media. “The guarantors demand that Hamas respect its obligations under the terms of the ceasefire.”

The statement concluded: “The United States and other guarantors remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the safety of civilians, maintaining calm on the ground, and advancing peace and prosperity for the people of Gaza and the region as a whole. »

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect last weekend after two years of war in the region following the October 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel.

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Hamas members search Saturday for the bodies of hostages in Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

On Monday, the 20 surviving Israeli hostages were returned to Israel in accordance with the agreement, but more than a dozen remains of slain hostages remain under Hamas control.

The State Department added that “steps will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire” if Hamas continues the attack.

President Donald Trump issued a warning to Truth Social on Thursday after images surfaced online showing Hamas fighters executing Palestinians in Gaza City’s main square.

“If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not planned, we will have no choice but to go there and kill them,” he wrote.

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According to Reuters, at least 33 people have been executed by Hamas in recent days in what officials described as a campaign to “show strength” after the ceasefire. Israeli sources say most of those killed belonged to families accused of collaborating with Israel or supporting rival militias.

Trump later clarified that US troops would not enter Gaza.

In this image taken from a video verified on social media and confirmed to Reuters by a Hamas source, seven men are forced to their knees and shot from behind by Hamas gunmen during public executions in Gaza on October 14. (Reuters)

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“It won’t be us,” he told reporters. “We won’t have to do that. There are people very close, very close who will come in and do the deal very easily, but under our auspices.”