Trump Compares Gaza Gangs to Venezuelan Ones, Says He Doesn't Mind if They're 'Eliminated'

U.S. President Donald Trump said that he was "not bothered" by reports of Hamas executing rival militias and alleged collaborators in Gaza, comparing the armed factions within the group to Venezuelan gangs and suggesting he had no issue with their elimination.

"They did take out a couple of gangs that were very bad... and they killed a number of gang members. That didn't bother me much, to be honest with you," Trump said during a White House meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei. "It's no different than other countries like Venezuela that sent their gangs toward us — and we dealt with those gangs."

His remarks come as Hamas continues its campaign to reassert control over Gaza following a ceasefire agreement with Israel. Reports from the region indicate the group has executed suspected collaborators and rival militia members in public, drawing international condemnation.

Trump, however, emphasized that Hamas must still comply with U.S. demands to lay down its arms. "If they don't disarm, we will disarm them," he said. "It'll happen quickly and perhaps violently, but they will disarm." He added that he had communicated this position to Hamas "through intermediaries" and claimed the group had agreed in principle to his 20-point peace plan.

"I spoke to Hamas and said, 'You're going to disarm, right?' They said, 'Yes, sir, we're going to disarm,'" Trump told reporters. When pressed about a timeline, he replied, "Pretty fast. A reasonable timeframe."

The president's comments came two days after he appeared to suggest that Hamas had his "permission" to handle internal security issues on its own, despite violence that erupted in the hours following the ceasefire.

Despite U.S. expectations that Hamas would no longer govern Gaza under the ceasefire terms, the group has reactivated police and civil defense operations, regaining control over much of the enclave. Trump's remarks signal a continued willingness to tolerate Hamas' internal crackdowns as long as the group proceeds with disarmament — or faces U.S. action if it does not.