Trump States Hamas Must Be ‘Confronted and Destroyed’ as Gaza City Residents Evacuate Ahead of IDF Offensive

Latest Developments

Hamas Must Be ‘Destroyed’: President Donald Trump appeared to endorse Israel’s plan to take control of Hamas’s last strongholds in the Gaza Strip on August 18, writing on Truth Social that the remaining Israeli hostages in the coastal enclave will only be freed once the Iran-backed terrorist group is defeated. “We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be,” Trump stated. The statement marks a shift from the administration’s earlier goal of seeking a partial deal to free some of the hostages to a comprehensive peace deal that would see all hostages released at once.
Gazans Evacuate Gaza City: Residents of Gaza City are evacuating in large numbers ahead of a planned IDF ground offensive to take control of Hamas’s last urban stronghold. The IDF has urged residents to evacuate to safe zones in southern Gaza, announcing on August 16 that it would renew the supply of tents and shelter equipment. On August 18, Hamas sources told international media that the group had accepted a 60-day ceasefire deal similar to that proposed by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, which the terror group previously rejected. Israeli officials, with support from the Trump administration, have emphasized that they would only agree to a comprehensive deal that ends the war, releases all of the hostages, disarms Hamas, and ends its rule in Gaza.
Israelis Protest to End the War: Nearly half a million Israelis participated in a protest around Hostages Square in Tel Aviv during a nationwide strike on August 17, demanding that the government end the war in Gaza and reach an agreement to free the hostages. Other protests around the country bolstered total attendance numbers to around one million. Many of the protestors expressed fears that an expanded ground offensive in Gaza would jeopardize the lives of the estimated 20 of 50 remaining hostages believed to still be alive. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum meanwhile called for a further nationwide strike, saying that the recent protests “prove in a clear manner and a strong voice what most of the country wants: The nation of Israel supports the return of hostages and the end of the war!”

FDD Expert Response

“With this statement, Trump is firmly placing the onus on Hamas without interfering in internal Israeli political issues. Netanyahu is facing extreme domestic pressure to conclude a deal, and the American president is behaving as an ally should: by demonstrating strong support for the Jewish state while not taking sides in this heated and polarized moment in Israeli politics.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

“Hamas has long tracked domestic tensions in Israel, viewing them as opportunities to exploit. Roughly 500,000 Israelis filled the streets of Tel Aviv on Sunday evening to demand a ceasefire deal that would bring the hostages home, even if it meant leaving Hamas in power. For Hamas, such scenes are a strategic boon, reinforcing the belief that time is on its side. While Israelis desire to see hostages return home, one cannot ignore the possibility that Hamas will view more domestic and international protests as a reason to reject any ceasefire deal that doesn’t align with its demands.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal