Trump says he's not confident ceasefire in Gaza will be kept

US President plans to lift pause on 2,000-pound bomb supply to Israel • Thinks Saudi Arabia will normalize relations with Israel

By HANNAH SARISOHN, REUTERS JANUARY 21, 2025 03:16 Updated: JANUARY 21, 2025 03:57

US President Donald Trump signs documents in the Oval Office at the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, US, January 20, 2025. (photo credit: REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA)

President Donald Trump, while signing a slew of executive orders in the Oval Office on Monday night following his inaugural parade event, was asked if he was confident he could keep the ceasefire in Gaza and complete the three phases of the deal. 

"I'm not confident," Trump replied. "It's not our war. It's their war. I'm not confident, but they're very weakened on the other side."

Trump said he looked at a picture of Gaza and said it's like a "massive demolition site" and that it's "really got to be rebuilt in a different way."

The President said Gaza is a "phenomenal location on the sea" with the best weather.

"You know, everything's good," he said. "Some beautiful things could be done with it, but it's very interesting, but some fantastic things could be done with Gaza.

US President Donald Trump throws a pen after he signed executive orders next to US Vice President JD Vance on the inauguration day of Trump's second Presidential term, inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, US January 20, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)

On the future governance of Gaza, Trump said, "You certainly can't have the people that were there. Most of them are dead." 

"But they didn't exactly run it well. They run viciously and badly," he said. "You can't have that."

Reversing Biden administration decisions on Israel

Trump is expected to lift the Biden administration's freeze on the supply of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in his first days in office, Walla News reported on Monday, citing an interview with the Israeli envoy to Washington.

Trump is also expected to reverse sanctions the Biden administration imposed against Israeli settlers accused of violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.

However, Trump said that he thinks Saudi Arabia will end up joining the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and Arab nations.

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"I think Saudi Arabia will end up being in the Abraham Accords," Trump told reporters.