Trump issues fresh warning to Hamas and Iran after talks with Netanyahu

United States President Donald Trump again weighted behind Israel in pushing to disarm Palestinian militant group Hamas while addressing the media at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec 29 following talks with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump's warning for Hamas to disarm or face "hell to pay" comes as parties to the US-brokered Gaza truce have, in recent weeks, found Israel half-hearted in pushing for the deal forward after it appeared to have hit a roadblock.

Trump welcomed Netanyahu that he would try to get the plan's second phase started "as quickly as we can", though remarks of the two do not always match on specifics.

However, he insisted that Israel had "lived up to the plan, 100 percent", shrugging off Israel's frequent strikes in Gaza where at least 400 people have been killed since the ceasefire in October, Xinhua News Agency reported. Palestinians in Gaza are also battling with harsh weather conditions such as flooding and cold weather amid calls for Israel to let more humanitarian aid into the enclave.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that months of war and displacement have forced people in Gaza to live amid collapsing ruins in makeshift shelters or in flimsy tents.

Storm Byron that struck Gaza from Dec 10 was a natural hazard, but "its consequences are man-made", said UNRWA.

The relief agency said that 17 buildings are estimated to have collapsed, and more than 42,000 tents or makeshift shelters are estimated to have sustained full or partial damage, between Dec 10 and 17, affecting at least 235,000 people. In a post on X on Dec 30, it said "humanitarian needs remain immense".

Abdolreza Alami, director of the Asia West East Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, told China Daily that the meeting of Trump and Netanyahu was viewed "less as a diplomatic effort for peace and more as a display of returning to the politics of 'political blackmail'."

"Trump's harsh rhetoric and his ultimatum to Hamas signify a shift in the US role from a self-proclaimed mediator to a 'full partner' in the conflict. Trump is attempting to use psychological pressure to force Hamas into a position of weakness; however, the reality on the ground in Gaza has shown that the structure of the resistance is not built around specific individuals," said Alami.

"Even with the confirmed martyrdom of figures like Abu Obeida and Mohammed Sinwar, history proves that the physical removal of commanders only leads to the radicalization of the rank-and-file and the emergence of a new generation of fighters who have nothing to lose," he added.

Hamas has confirmed that its armed wing spokesperson, known as Abu Obeida, and Mohammed Sinwar, the group's former leader in Gaza, were killed amid Israeli strikes this year, Al Jazeera reported.

"The contradiction between claiming to facilitate humanitarian aid while simultaneously encouraging Israel to continue its military strikes suggests that Washington is merely seeking an 'unconditional surrender' rather than a sustainable agreement. Instead of ending the war, this approach will likely result in a longer stalemate in negotiations and an expansion of the scope of the conflict," said Alami.

On Iran, Trump expressed concern in his meeting with Netanyahu that Tehran is moving to rebuild its nuclear capabilities to boost the ballistic missile program after strikes by the US and Israel earlier this year.

He threatened Iran of fresh action to prevent it from stockpiling weapons and declared support for Israel should it strike Iran if Tehran continued with its ballistic missile program, which Netanyahu has referred to as an "existential threat".

Iran has upheld its right to civilian nuclear energy and repeatedly rejected Israeli accusations of developing nuclear weapons.

Alami said Trump's aggressive remarks, which "tie US foreign policy to Netanyahu's long-term demands", represent the "reproduction of a tested and failed path".

Further, he said, Trump's current approach, "shaped under the direct provocation of Israel", stands in direct opposition to logic.

"Rather than containing Iran's capabilities, this confrontational policy will only drive Tehran toward more complex defensive strategies to ensure its security. The ultimate result of these provocations will be nothing but the collapse of regional stability and a descent into uncontrollable crises that will affect all international players," Alami said.

"Historical experience and Iran's regional behavior clearly demonstrate that Tehran never submits to negotiation or retreat under 'force' and pressure. Any military threat against missile capabilities — which constitute the core pillar of Iran's national deterrence — will only lead to a hardening of defensive postures and an acceleration in the development of these programs," he added.