President Trump Blames ‘Rambunctious’ Rebel Factions Within Hamas for Violating Ceasefire
By The Media Line Staff
President Donald Trump urged both Israel and Hamas to maintain their fragile ceasefire after it was breached Sunday when Hamas terrorists attacked Israeli forces in Rafah, killing two soldiers and wounding several others.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the truce “is still in effect,” suggesting the morning assault may have been carried out by “rebel groups within the terrorist organization.” He added that “it will be dealt with properly, it will be dealt with harshly,” emphasizing that Washington expects both sides to honor their commitments.
“As you know, they’ve been quite rambunctious. They’ve been doing some shooting, and we think maybe the leadership isn’t involved in that,” he added.
The attack occurred when Hamas fighters emerged from a tunnel and fired rocket-propelled grenades at an IDF engineering vehicle near Salah a-Din Road in southern Rafah. The Israel Defense Forces retaliated with targeted airstrikes before reestablishing the ceasefire hours later. Israeli officials said the military would continue to observe the truce but respond to any violation “forcefully and decisively.”
Israel has accused Hamas of failing to uphold its obligations under the agreement, saying the group has returned only a small number of the 28 deceased hostages it had pledged to deliver. Hamas claims it is unable to locate many of the bodies, a statement Israeli authorities have rejected as false.
Vice President JD Vance, commenting on the situation, said the challenge remains structural. “There is no security infrastructure currently that would ensure Hamas is disarmed,” he said, acknowledging that full demilitarization—a central requirement of the Trump plan—has yet to be guaranteed.
He downplayed the breaking of the truce, stating that the peace treaty will have “hills and valleys,” but recommended a “security infrastructure” to ensure that Hamas disarms and that the truce is maintained.
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