In a stark post on Truth Social, Donald Trump threatened that if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, “we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.” This came after disturbing footage showed public executions by Hamas in Gaza. The message is clear: Trump is casting himself as tough on internal violence, not just conflict with Israel.
Since the truce, Hamas has resumed executing suspected collaborators and rival militants, raising alarms about its grasp on control. These moves appear to provoke a forceful response from Trump and the U.S. leadership. Below, I break down what’s going on, responses, broader implications, and what might happen next.
Background: Gaza executions spark outrage
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect, videos and reports have emerged of Hamas carrying out public executions in Gaza. In some scenes, blindfolded men were made to kneel, then shot.
Hamas claims these are “criminals and collaborators with Israel.”
These acts are part of Hamas’s efforts to reassert authority over Gaza’s clans, militias, and rival gangs in the power vacuum following the war. Germany has condemned the executions as acts of terror.
In response, Trump held Hamas partly to blame for violating what he terms “the Deal”—the ceasefire agreement.
The threat: “go in and kill” — what Trump said
On Thursday, Trump released a warning on Truth Social: “If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
He also framed Hamas’s internal executions as a violation of the ceasefire he helped broker.
Beyond that, Trump earlier warned that Hamas must disarm—or face disarmament by force.
However, he hasn’t detailed exactly how or by whom the “go in and kill” directive would be executed.
Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, also urged Hamas to cease killing civilians, echoing Trump’s rhetoric.
Hamas’s motives and internal stakes
Hamas has long struggled to maintain cohesive control in Gaza, especially over powerful clans and independent armed groups. The recent executions seem to serve a dual purpose: eliminate rivals and enforce compliance.
One flashpoint is the Doghmush clan, which in Gaza City clashed with Hamas fighters after the truce.
In the vacuum that followed Israel’s withdrawal, gangs looting aid convoys, armed non-Hamas militants, and clan-based power centers surged. Hamas appears to be reasserting itself via force.
But overreach is risky: it could provoke backlash from Gazan civilians, international actors, and now direct threats from the U.S.
International and U.S. response
International condemnation has been swift. Germany labeled Hamas’s executions as terror acts.
The U.S., meanwhile, is signaling readiness to enforce consequences. Trump’s threat to “go in and kill” Hamas is part of that posture.
The U.S. is also helping to plan a safe zone in Gaza to shield civilians from Hamas reprisals.
One senior U.S. adviser told reporters: “This is really in response to … the reports we’ve been seeing of Hamas … executing rivals.”
But legal, diplomatic, and logistical barriers stand in the way. The U.S. has limited appetite for direct full-scale military operations inside Gaza.
Still, this threat escalates the stakes. If Hamas ignores it, the U.S. and its allies may consider more aggressive action—or force Hamas to back down.