President Trump’s “Peace Architecture”!
International News, Oct 13 (EFE).-
President Donald Trump said on Monday that the Islamist militant group Hamas will continue to temporarily exercise armed control in the Gaza Strip. “They do want to stop the problems, and they’ve been open about it, and we gave them approval for a period of time,” Trump said of Hamas, which has so far refused to commit to total disarmament, in response to questions from reporters aboard Air Force One during the flight to Tel Aviv.
“You have close to 2 million people going back to buildings that have been demolished and a lot of bad things can happen. So we want it to be…we want it to be safe. I think it’s going to be fine. Who knows for sure,” he added.
On Sunday, Hamas police forces in the Gaza Strip and local militias accused of collaborating with Israel engaged in armed clashes in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City.
On Monday, Gaza’s government, controlled by the Palestinian group, claimed to have mobilized 7,000 officers to receive Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Trump arrived in Tel Aviv on Monday shortly after Hamas released the first seven living hostages it had held since Oct. 7, 2023. The remaining 13 living captives were handed over to the Red Cross shortly after Trump’s arrival in Israel.
On the plane ride to Israel, where Trump is making a brief visit before leaving for Egypt, where he and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will lead a summit to discuss the Gaza peace process with more than 20 countries, the US president also expressed confidence that the ceasefire will endure this time.
In that regard, the Republican leader said he believes the ceasefire is “going to hold. I think people are tired of it. It’s been centuries.”
The first phase of the agreement includes the ceasefire, which has been in place since Friday, the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from, and the release of the 20 living hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The second phase, which will be negotiated later, contemplates the creation of a technocratic and apolitical Palestinian committee to temporarily administer the Strip under the supervision of a new international body, the so-called “Board of Peace,” chaired by Trump and with the participation of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. EFE
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