Trump says cease-fire intact despite flare-up between Israel, Hamas
Oct. 20 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas remained in place after Israel carried out a series of deadly strikes in the south of the Palestinian enclave and the sides traded blame for clashes.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening Trump said the agreement would hold and that “rebels” that he did not identify were responsible for alleged violations, not, Hamas.
“Either way, it’s going to be handled properly. It’s going to be handled toughly, but properly,” Trump added.
The Israeli military said it struck dozens of targets through Sunday evening in retaliation for Hamas’ alleged “anti-tank missile and gunfire” that killed two soldiers in Rafah. Sources from hospitals in Gaza told the BBC that at least 44 people had been killed. Aid deliveries were suspended.
Hamas denied all knowledge of the attack in Rafah and reiterated its commitment to the cease-fire. It accused Israel of violations, warning that the attacks were jeopardizing the truce.
Israel Defense Forces announced late Sunday that the operation was over and that it was resuming “enforcement of the cease-fire” and would permit aid to begin to flow again Monday, but warned that any violation of it would be met with a “firm response.”
This was the worst setback since the deal came into force Oct. 10 came as Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner were due to arrive in Israel on Monday to shore up the cease-fire and move the process forward. They were due to be joined by Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday.
The three were expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials.
Before departing the United States, Kushner told CBS News that while the truce was fragile, he believed Hamas was acting in good faith to stick to the agreement and was “seriously looking for the bodies” of the 16 Israeli hostages it had promised to return but had yet to do so.
Vance also sought to explain the violence, saying some turbulence was normal in the early stages of any cease-fire. His schedule also includes meetings with hostage families and a visit to a humanitarian facility in Gaza.
“Hamas is going to fire on Israel. Israel’s going to have to respond, of course. There are going to be moments where you have people within Gaza that you’re [not] quite sure what they’re actually doing. But we think it has the best chance for sustainable peace,” he said.
Hamas, which has been struggling to recover the bodies of 28 hostages it agreed to hand back to Israel as part of the cease-fire deal, said Monday it had found the remains of a 13th hostage. Further details were as yet unavailable.