U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that American forces will not be sent into Gaza, despite a stern warning he posted on Truth Social that if Hamas continued to kill people “we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.” Speaking to reporters later the same day, Trump clarified that he did not mean U.S. troops would enter Gaza and instead suggested that other actors “very close, very nearby” would carry out any incursion, and that such action could occur “under our auspices.”

“I didn’t say who would go in, but somebody will go in. It’s not going to be us. We won’t have to. There are people very close, very nearby, that will go in. They’ll do the trick very easily. But under our auspices,” Trump told reporters, according to ABC.

Israel Signals Readiness to Resume Military Action

At the same time, Israeli officials have issued blunt warnings that the military could resume operations in Gaza if Hamas fails to meet the terms of the deal described by Trump. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered preparations for what he called the “complete defeat of Hamas in Gaza” should the group not disarm and return the bodies of hostages it is holding.

“If Hamas refuses to uphold the agreement, Israel, in coordination with the U.S., will return to fighting and act to achieve the total defeat of Hamas,” Katz said. Trump echoed that message in the Oval Office, saying Israel and the U.S. want weapons surrendered and that if Hamas does not comply, “we’ll do it.”

Hostage Returns and Remaining Uncertainty

Hamas recently returned 20 living hostages and the remains of seven deceased hostages, but 21 hostages remain unaccounted for, according to Israeli authorities. The Israeli military later reported that one body returned was not that of a hostage. Hamas said it would send additional bodies and claimed it has released all hostage remains currently within its reach, while also asserting that recovering further remains will require “extensive efforts and special equipment.”

What This Means

The developments reflect a tense standoff in which diplomatic statements, military warnings, and public rhetoric are closely intertwined. Trump’s comments signal strong U.S. support for pressure on Hamas while explicitly ruling out direct U.S. troop deployment; Israeli officials have made clear they are prepared to act unilaterally or with close partners if the terms of the deal are not met. The situation remains fluid, with significant humanitarian and security implications depending on whether the parties follow through on commitments or return to hostilities.