Trump calls on Hamas to disarm as he meets Netanyahu in Florida to discuss Gaza peace plan

US President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the end of a news conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on Monday. Photo: AP

US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that Hamas would have “hell to pay” if it does not disarm quickly as part of a Gaza deal, which he said Israel was complying with.

“If they don’t disarm as they agreed to do, they agreed to it, and then there will be hell to pay for them,” Trump told a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the US president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

“They have to disarm in a fairly short period of time,” Trump said.

Trump publicly threw his support behind Netanyahu, who has taken a hard line on moving to the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire plan.

“I’m not concerned about anything that Israel’s doing,” Trump said.

“I’m concerned about what other people are doing or maybe aren’t doing. But I’m not concerned. They’ve lived up to the plan.”

The two leaders also discussed Iran, with Trump saying that if Tehran rebuilt its nuclear facilities the United States would “knock them down”.

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster