President Donald Trump is calling the situation in the Middle East a triumph — even as the ceasefire he personally brokered between Israel and Hamas appears to be falling apart in real time.
Taking to Truth Social on Saturday, Trump struck a confident tone that quickly turned confrontational, praising what he called his “GREAT PEACE” deal before threatening action against Hamas.
“We have a very strong PEACE in the Middle East, and I believe it has a good chance of being EVERLASTING,” Trump wrote. “Hamas is going to have to start returning the bodies of the deceased hostages, including two Americans, quickly, or the other Countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action.”
The statement came as reports poured in of renewed clashes in Gaza, with both sides accusing the other of violating the ceasefire terms. Trump’s post — equal parts victory lap and warning — only underscored the deep irony of the moment: the president insisting “peace” is holding strong while explosions continue to echo across Gaza City.
“Some of the bodies are hard to reach, but others they can return now and, for some reason, they are not,” Trump continued. “Perhaps it has to do with their disarming, but when I said, ‘Both sides would be treated fairly,’ that only applies if they comply with their obligations.”
He closed with a thinly veiled ultimatum: “Let’s see what they do over the next 48 hours. I am watching this very closely.”
Trump has repeatedly pointed to the ceasefire — negotiated earlier this month through Qatari and Egyptian mediators — as proof of his foreign policy prowess. But the situation on the ground tells a different story. Skirmishes have reignited, aid convoys have stalled, and international observers warn that the humanitarian crisis could worsen rapidly if the truce fully collapses.
Trump’s insistence that “we have a very strong PEACE” rings increasingly hollow as his signature deal — the one he’s touted as a model for global diplomacy — teeters on the brink.
In the span of a few sentences, Trump managed to celebrate “everlasting peace” and threaten “action” — a contradiction that perfectly captures the uneasy reality of a truce that may not survive the week.
