The US State Department has warned that Hamas is planning an “imminent” attack on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, which threatens the fragile ceasefire agreement.
The first phase a ceasefire deal has come into force between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, during which all living hostages have returned to Israel while the bodies of the deceased are still being returned.
Hamas Planned Attack
In a statement on Saturday, the US State Department said it had “credible reports” indicating that Hamas was planning “an imminent” attack against the people of Gaza, in a potential violation of the ceasefire terms.
“This planned attack against Palestinian civilians would constitute a direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement and undermine the significant progress achieved through mediation efforts,” the statement said.
The US added it had informed the guarantor nations of the peace deal – which include Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye – noting that they “demand Hamas uphold its obligations under the ceasefire terms.”
Strict Warning
The statement warned Hamas against moving forward with the planned attack, without providing details about the potential attack. “Should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire,” it said.
“The United States and the other guarantors remain resolute in our commitment to ensuring the safety of civilians, maintaining calm on the ground, and advancing peace and prosperity for the people of Gaza and the region as a whole,” the statement added.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump issued a strict warning to Hamas in case it violated the peace deal. “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,” he posted on Truth Social.
This marked a shift in tone as Trump previously said that the Palestinian group had taken out “a couple of gangs that were very bad.”
Hamas Response
The Palestinian group, for its part, rejected the US statement as “Israeli propaganda,” calling the Trump administration to focus on curbing Israel’s violations.
In a statement, Hamas described the US claims as “false,” saying they “fully align with the misleading Israeli propaganda and provide cover for the continuation of the occupation’s crimes and organized aggression against our people.”
The group also urged the US to “stop repeating (Israel’s) misleading narrative and to focus on curbing its repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.”
Fragile Agreement
On October 13, 2025, Trump, the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Al-Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the ceasefire agreement document to mark the implementation of the 20-point plan for peace in Gaza.
As part of the deal, Hamas released the 20 living Israeli hostages. In return, Israel released about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, withdrew its troops from large parts of Gaza, and implemented a ceasefire.
The Palestinian group also returned the remains of 10 out of 28 deceased hostages, saying it needs more time and technical assistance to recover the remaining bodies buried under rubble.
However, Israel accuses Hamas of deliberately delaying the return of the bodies of the hostages. In response, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Saturday said the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt would remain closed until Hamas returns the remaining bodies, according to BBC.
Moreover, an Israeli tank shell killed 11 Palestinians of one family on Saturday, according to Gaza’s civil defense ministry. The Israeli military claimed it had fired at a “suspicious vehicle” that had crossed the yellow line demarcating the area that Israeli troops are still occupying in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Hamas is engaged in deadly clashes with rival groups, in a bid to reassert its control over parts of Gaza, raising uncertainty over the ceasefire deal.
Hamas Disarmament
As the US wants to move forward with the second phase of the peace plan, the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip remain as sticking issues, as the Palestinian group has long opposed the idea.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu insisted that disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza are prerequisites for ending the war in the Strip.
“When that is successfully completed – hopefully in an easy way, but if not, in a hard way – then the war will end,” he told Israeli Channel 14 on Saturday.
The US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to visit Egypt and Israel, and likely Gaza, on Sunday to push the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Axios reported citing US and Israeli officials.
During the visit, Witkoff will discuss the formation of the international stabilization force (ISF), which will deploy in areas of the Gaza Strip following the Israeli army gradual withdrawal under Trump’s plan.
He will also explore Gaza reconstruction process as the US wants to start rebuilding parts of Gaza which Hamas does not control, including Rafah.
