WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday that Hamas will be "harshly met" if the group fails to disarm itself.
"Hamas has been, I think they're going to give up their weapons, which is what they promised," Trump said when addressing the inaugural meeting of the "Board of Peace" in Washington, D.C.
"If they don't, it'll be, you know, they'll be harshly met, very harshly met," Trump said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that the White House agrees that Hamas must disarm and Gaza must be demilitarized before reconstruction can begin in the conflict-torn strip, according to reports.
Hamas on Tuesday called on the "Board of Peace" to intervene and halt what it described as ongoing Israeli "violations" of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, warning that Israel may use the forum's meeting as a cover to continue its military campaign.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Tuesday in a televised statement that developments over the past four months indicate Israel has not stopped the war but has changed its tools and forms, saying that "killing, displacement, blockade and starvation" are ongoing. ■