US President Donald Trump called for an “enduring peace” in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, confirming that efforts to stabilize the war-torn region were progressing. His remarks came during a refueling stop in Doha, Qatar, en route to East Asia, following a meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
International Force ‘Coming Soon’
A major announcement from the meeting was the imminent deployment of an international force in Gaza. President Trump informed reporters that such a force would be “deployed soon.”
He specifically praised Qatar, calling the Gulf nation a “great ally” and a “key player in regional stability,” and noted that Qatar would be willing to contribute peace-keeping troops if necessary.
When questioned about the future of the region, Trump stated simply, “This should be an enduring peace.”
Fragile Ceasefire Holds Amid Violations
Trump also addressed the US-backed ceasefire currently in effect between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which began more than two years after the war started in the Gaza Strip. Despite both sides accusing the other of violations, Trump expressed cautious confidence that the truce would endure.
“It’ll hold. It’s going to hold,” Trump said. “If it doesn’t hold, Hamas will not be hard to take care of. It will be very quick.”
He added a warning to the militant group: “I hope it holds for Hamas, too, because they gave us their word on something… So, I think it’s going to (hold) and if it doesn’t then they’ll have a very big problem.”
Israel Conducts ‘Targeted’ Airstrike
Trump’s comments coincided with a fresh escalation on the ground. Israeli forces confirmed on Saturday that they conducted a “targeted” airstrike in central Gaza.
- Target: Israel said the strike was against an operative of the Islamic Jihad who was actively planning an attack against Israeli troops. Islamic Jihad has not yet commented on the assertion.
- Damage: A Reuters report indicated that a drone struck a car, setting it ablaze. Local medics reported that four people were wounded, but there were no immediate fatalities.
- Other Attacks: The report also added that Israeli tanks had shelled eastern areas of Gaza City, the biggest urban area in the Gaza Strip, though the Israeli military did not immediately comment on that specific shelling.
Policy Reversal for Hostage Recovery
In a related development, several Israeli media sites reported a policy reversal, stating that Israel had permitted Egyptian officials to enter the Gaza Strip. The purpose of this reversal of the policy barring entry to foreign forces is to assist in locating the bodies of hostages taken captive during the Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, which initially triggered the war.