In a brief phone interview with Axios on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump declined to say whether he supports Israel’s plans to directly attack and occupy Gaza City, but stated that he does not believe Hamas will release the hostages unless the situation changes.
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Trump said it is up to Israel to decide its next steps and whether it will allow Hamas to remain in Gaza, adding that in his view, “they cannot remain there.”
He added: “I have one thing to say: Remember October 7, remember October 7,” referring to Hamas’s attack on Israel in 2023, which sparked the Gaza war.
Trump told Axios he had a “good call” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. Netanyahu’s office said the two “discussed Israel’s plans to take control of Hamas’s remaining strongholds in Gaza, with the aim of ending the war by securing the release of the hostages and defeating Hamas.”
Netanyahu’s plan to attack and occupy Gaza City has raised international concerns over the potential harm to the war-torn territory, which is already facing a severe hunger crisis.
Domestically, some senior Israeli military leaders oppose the planned assault, partly due to fears it could endanger the lives of Israeli hostages.
Around 50 captives remain in Gaza, but it is believed that only about 20 of them are still alive. –(Agencies)
