Tel Aviv: During his flight to Israel, US President Donald Trump suggested that Hamas has been granted temporary approval to manage internal security operations in the Gaza Strip. The remarks came amid reports that the Palestinian militant group, which is required to disarm and relinquish its control over Gaza under Trump’s proposed plan to end the war, has deployed security forces to maintain order since the ceasefire took effect on Friday.

Hamas has stated that its internal security efforts are intended to prevent looting, lawlessness, and a potential security vacuum in areas devastated by conflict. Addressing questions from journalists aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “They do want to stop the problems, and they’ve been open about it, and we gave them approval for a period of time.”

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