Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina reportedly warned Sunday that Hamas is actively rebuilding its military capabilities rather than honoring commitments to disarm, urging President Donald Trump to take a hard line and allow Israel to act decisively if the terrorist group continues to defy the ceasefire agreement brokered under Trump’s leadership.
Graham made the remarks during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, joining the program from Tel Aviv after meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Drawing on his conversations in Israel and what he described as U.S. intelligence, Graham said there is little doubt Hamas is using the ceasefire to strengthen itself.
Host Kristen Welker noted that Israel could move into the next phase of the peace plan as soon as the end of the month, a step that would involve Hamas disarming and control of Gaza being transferred to an international security force. She asked Graham whether he believed Hamas was prepared to give up its weapons.
“Absolutely not,” Graham replied.
While praising the Trump administration for brokering the ceasefire, Graham said Hamas has shown no intention of living up to its obligations. Instead of complying with the agreement, he argued, the group is exploiting the pause in fighting to prepare for future conflict.
“What did I learn on this trip?” Graham said. “That Hamas is not disarming, they’re rearming. Hamas is not abandoning power, they’re consolidating power.”
Graham’s comments come as the Trump administration has lined up international support for stabilizing Gaza in the post-war period. Just days earlier, the White House announced commitments from six countries to join a Trump-backed Board of Peace tasked with overseeing Gaza after the war. Those countries include Egypt, Italy, Germany, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
But Graham made clear that such plans are meaningless as long as Hamas remains armed. “You can’t have a Board of Peace, you can’t have a stabilizing force, until Hamas is disarmed,” he said. “They’re not being disarmed.”
The senator called on Trump to confront the situation head-on, urging him to meet with Netanyahu and impose a firm deadline on Hamas. Graham said the terrorist group should be put “on a time clock” to surrender its weapons, warning that continued defiance should bring swift consequences.
“I would urge President Trump to meet with Prime Minister Bibi next week and come up with a plan,” Graham said. “Put Hamas on a time clock. If they don’t turn over their weapons and start rearming at a date certain, I would unleash Israel on ’em, that’s what I would do.”
Trump has previously signaled a no-nonsense approach to Hamas. He traveled to Israel in October to celebrate the peace agreement that ended the War in Gaza, which began shortly after Hamas launched its brutal terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Less than two weeks after that visit, Trump warned publicly that Hamas would face a “BRUTAL” price if it failed to disarm.
Graham’s warning underscores growing concerns among U.S. and Israeli officials that Hamas is using diplomatic efforts as cover to regroup. His comments reflect a broader view among Trump allies that peace cannot be sustained while a terrorist organization remains armed and in control, and that deterrence, not delay, is the only path to lasting security.
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