Trump Questions Israeli Strike on Hamas Leader Amid Ceasefire Agreement

The targeted killing of a senior Hamas commander by Israeli forces over the weekend has triggered a diplomatic rift, with US President Donald Trump stating that his administration is reviewing whether the strike violated the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The airstrike eliminated Sa’ad Ra’ad, a high-ranking Hamas official and former deputy commander of the group’s military wing. Ra’ad played a key role in orchestrating Hamas’s October 7 terror attacks, which launched the most brutal assault on Israeli civilians in decades. His death came as a blow to Hamas, but also sparked concern in Washington.

Two American sources told Axios that the White House expressed sharp disapproval to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly describing the operation as a breach of the ceasefire terms. The US is also frustrated that Jerusalem did not provide advance notice of the strike an omission that has further strained coordination between the allies.

President Trump confirmed the administration is “looking into” the incident. “We ask [Israel] not to take steps that are perceived in the Arab world as provocations,” one US official said, suggesting the move could complicate delicate regional diplomacy particularly efforts to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords.

Israel, however, strongly denies any wrongdoing. Officials have made it clear that Ra’ad Sa’ad was directly involved in preparing a new terror attack that had already injured two Israeli soldiers. "The killing of Ra’ad Sa’ad, an arch-terrorist who worked day in and day out to violate the agreement and renew the fighting, was carried out in response to these violations and was intended to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire,” an Israeli government representative told Axios.

Israeli leaders maintain that the ceasefire cannot serve as a shield for Hamas leaders to regroup and rearm. Instead, Jerusalem views such actions as essential to preserving long-term calm by neutralizing those actively plotting to shatter it.

The backdrop to this tension is Trump’s broader push for postwar stabilization in Gaza. On Monday, he said that the International Stabilization Force for Gaza is “already running,” with several nations participating and more expected to join. “They’re already in, but they’ll send any number of troops that I ask them to send,” Trump stated from the Oval Office.

Meanwhile, US officials have also voiced alarm over increasing settler violence in the West Bank, fearing it could derail diplomatic progress. The Biden and Trump administrations alike have repeatedly emphasized that while they do not ask Israel to compromise its security, they expect strategic decisions to be coordinated in a way that supports broader regional efforts.

At the core of the issue is a fundamental disagreement: should ceasefires shield terrorists, or should they be conditional on all parties including Hamas upholding their terms? For Israel, the answer is clear. Any violation by Hamas is not just a breach of trust it is an invitation to renewed violence.

In the eyes of many Israelis, the targeted removal of a terrorist mastermind like Sa’ad is not a provocation, but a defense of peace. Share this article and subscribe for further insights on Israel’s fight for security and truth.