Middle East allies ready to 'straighten out Hamas' in Gaza, Trump warns - Jerusalem Post Staff

 

by Jerusalem Post Staff

Some of the countries expected to lead the Gaza peace force are skittish about the prospect of going to combat with Hamas, NYT reported.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a meeting with Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 20, 2025.

(photo credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE)

 

US President Donald Trump claimed that countries in the Middle East expressed their interest in militarily entering Gaza to "straighten out Hamas," in a Tuesday Truth Social post. 

"Numerous of our NOW GREAT ALLIES in the Middle East, and areas surrounding the Middle East, have explicitly and strongly, with great enthusiasm, informed me that they would welcome the opportunity, at my request, to go into GAZA with a heavy force and 'straighten our Hamas' if Hamas continues to act badly, in violation of their agreement with us," he wrote.

"I told these countries, and Israel, 'NOT YET!' There is still hope that Hamas will do what is right. If they do not, an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL! I would like to thank all of those countries that called to help," he added.

Trump also thanked Indonesia for "all of the help they have shown and given to the Middle East, and to the USA."

Palestinians seen near destroyed buildings amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, October 19, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/Ebrahim Hajjaj)

NYT reports that international peace force in Gaza skittish to send troops

Earlier on Sunday, the New York Times reported that countries that could make up Trump's proposed international peace force in Gaza are expressing hesitation at sending troops out of fear of clashes with Hamas. 

Two diplomats told the NYT that Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, and Azerbaijan were among the proposed countries.

Officials familiar with the matter say that there has been little progress on the assembly of the force because of the lack of clarity surrounding what the peace force would be doing in Gaza. The countries that are expected to contribute have reportedly privately said that they would not send troops until there is more clarity on whether or not they would need to go to combat with Hamas while it is still armed. 

The NYT reported that the prospect of combat with Hamas would be enough of a reason for the countries to back out of the peace force. Some countried have also reportedly said that they do not want their troops to be in highly populated Gazan cities because of the dangers posed by Hamas's underground tunnel network, sources familiar with the matter said. 

The Guardian previously reported that Egypt was expected to lead the international stabilization force in the Palestinian enclave. 

According to the Guardian report, the US administration plans for the stabilization force in the Gaza Strip to mirror that of peacekeeping forces in Haiti. The US reportedly wishes for UN backing without a full UN armed force.

The Trump statement comes after Hamas said it will release the remains of two Israeli hostages at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Trump stated on Monday that he believed that "rogue elements, not Hamas leadership,” were responsible for the latest attack on Israeli troops in Gaza. 

"They've been doing some shooting, and we think maybe the leadership isn't involved in that — that it's some rebels within — but either way... It's going to be handled toughly, but properly," he said.

Jerusalem Post Staff

Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-871188

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