The US State Department has issued a warning regarding potential plans by the Palestinian armed group Hamas to carry out an imminent attack against civilians in Gaza, labeling this development as a serious violation of the existing ceasefire agreement. In a formal statement released on Saturday, the department described the reports as “credible” and expressed concern that such actions would undermine the progress achieved through ongoing mediation efforts to stabilize the region.
The statement emphasized that any attack targeting Palestinian civilians would directly contravene the terms of the ceasefire, which was established in the wake of Hamas’ earlier military actions. The U.S. government asserted that if Hamas were to proceed with this attack, it would implement measures designed to protect the people of Gaza and maintain the ceasefire’s integrity.
While the statement did not specify the nature of these protective measures, President Donald Trump had earlier indicated a hardline stance against Hamas, threatening severe consequences if attacks on civilians continued. He emphasized that if Hamas persisted in its violence, the U.S. would have “no choice but to go in and kill them,” although it remained unclear who he referred to with “we.”
This warning from Washington comes after a recent peace deal between Hamas and Israel, reached last week, which involved a phased cessation of hostilities in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas following its attack on October 7, 2023. The first phase of this deal is focused on the release of living hostages and the burial of deceased individuals, yet implementation has proven complex amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The U.S. government has also communicated with international guarantors of the ceasefire—namely Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey—about the alleged impending violation. This underscores the global concern for maintaining peace in the region as tensions remain high.
In a troubling escalation within Gaza, Hamas has recently intensified its control over the area, conducting a crackdown on suspected collaborators. A chilling video released by the group depicted the public execution of eight individuals accused of being “collaborators and outlaws,” a gesture that raises fears of further violence and repression in the already devastated territory. Such actions contribute to the grim atmosphere in Gaza as the political and humanitarian situation continues to destabilize.