Trump Pressures Egypt to ‘Hold Hamas Accountable’

The U.S. Department of State stated that Secretary Marco Rubio informed his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdel-Atty, during a phone call that it was crucial to hold the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas accountable and ensure that it could not rule Gaza again. This follows a proposal by President Donald Trump suggesting that Egypt and Jordan should take in more Palestinians.

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The issue of the “next day” in Gaza is a real dilemma for Israel and the U.S., especially with reports confirming Hamas‘ control over large parts of the strip after the start of the Israeli withdrawal, as demonstrated by scenes of military displays during the release of hostages.
Israeli officials described the military display organized by Hamas fighters to celebrate the ceasefire in front of celebratory crowds as a deliberate attempt to amplify the strength of the Palestinian armed group and as a clear response to the question of the next day.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is facing considerable internal embarrassment due to scenes confirming that Hamas controls the situation in Gaza after the Israeli government had asserted its destruction of the group, which was one of the war’s objectives according to Israeli officials.

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The Palestinian Authority rejected an initiative supported by Cairo to form a joint committee with Hamas to govern Gaza after the war. Sources familiar with the matter stated that the Palestinian Authority had discussed this with the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the West demands that the Authority make real reforms to allow it to govern the region.
On Saturday, President Trump proposed a plan to “cleanse” Gaza, after an Israeli-led war that killed tens of thousands and created a humanitarian crisis, statements that reflected long-standing Palestinian fears of being driven from their homes. Trump‘s proposal was not mentioned in the U.S. State Department’s statement released on Tuesday after the call between Rubio and Egypt’s Foreign Minister.

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Jordan and Egypt rejected, earlier this week, President Trump‘s statements that they should take in Palestinians from Gaza. When asked whether this was a temporary or long-term solution, Trump said, “It could be either.”

The State Department stated after Tuesday’s call that “Rubio also emphasized the importance of holding Hamas accountable,” though it is unclear how this accountability will be carried out in cooperation with Cairo, with expectations of increasing pressure on the group, perhaps through restrictions on the movement of its leaders.

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The statement added: “The Secretary emphasized the importance of close cooperation to strengthen post-conflict planning to ensure Hamas cannot govern Gaza or threaten Israel again.”
Rubio had also had a phone call the previous day with King Abdullah II of Jordan, but the U.S. statement did not mention Trump’s comments about Palestinian displacement.
The Israeli military attack on Gaza has resulted in over 47,000 deaths according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, leading to accusations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.
Israel launched the war on Gaza after Hamas militants attacked towns in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli statistics.

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