U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a markedly more aggressive stance on the Gaza conflict, calling on Israel to “finish the job” against Hamas—just weeks after suggesting a ceasefire deal was within reach.
Speaking to reporters before departing Washington for a weekend trip to Scotland, Trump blamed Hamas for the collapse of ceasefire negotiations and signaled support for a renewed Israeli offensive.
“I think they want to die, and it’s very, very bad,” Trump said. “You’re gonna have to finish the job.”
The comments mark a dramatic shift in tone from earlier this month, when Trump expressed optimism about a possible deal. However, his administration has since pulled back from U.S.-brokered negotiations, with Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff citing what he called Hamas’ “bad faith” and “lack of coordination.” Witkoff added that the administration is now exploring “alternative options” for securing the release of remaining hostages.
Frustration has been mounting inside the White House, not only over the deadlock in Gaza but also over stalled efforts to broker peace in Ukraine—setbacks that have reportedly dimmed Trump’s long-standing ambition of securing a Nobel Peace Prize.
Despite Trump’s shift, key regional mediators remain cautiously optimistic. Egypt and Qatar, which have been leading negotiations in Doha, described the current pause in talks as “normal” for such complex discussions. A senior Israeli official confirmed that the talks had “not at all” collapsed and could still resume.
Still, Trump’s announcement sent shockwaves through the negotiation process.
“This is an earthquake,” one source close to the Doha talks told CNN. “We’re dealing with the aftershock.”
Sources say the major sticking points in the talks include a timetable to end the war, terms for the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the future positioning of Israeli forces in Gaza.
Trump placed the blame squarely on Hamas, accusing the group of stalling talks to retain leverage.
“Now we’re down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages,” Trump said, without elaborating.
He also declined to comment in detail on his recent conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling them “sort of disappointing.” Despite mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Trump offered no indication that he would pressure Israel to de-escalate.
A UN official this week described Gaza’s population as “walking corpses,” while Tunisian President Kais Saied confronted Trump’s Africa adviser with images of malnourished children, some reportedly eating sand to survive.
“It is absolutely unacceptable,” Saied said. “This is a crime against all of humanity.”
Trump pushed back, accusing Hamas of obstructing humanitarian aid and claiming the U.S. hasn’t been recognized for its contributions.
“People don’t know this—and we didn’t get any thank you—but we contributed $60 million to food and supplies,” he said. “We hope the money gets there, because you know, that money gets taken. The food gets taken.”
However, an internal U.S. review reportedly found no widespread evidence that Hamas had diverted U.S.-funded aid.
Meanwhile, key U.S. allies are voicing stronger opposition to Israel’s conduct in the conflict. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Israeli actions “indefensible,” and French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans for France to recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Macron’s move “a slap in the face” to the victims of the October 7th Hamas attacks, but Trump dismissed the criticism.
“He’s a very good guy. I like him,” Trump said of Macron. “But that statement doesn’t carry weight.”
