Trump suggests Hamas has approval for internal security operations in Gaza

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Hamas had been given a greenlight for internal security operations it is conducting in the Gaza Strip, saying the group wants "to stop the problems" and "we gave them approval for a period of time".

The Palestinian militant group, which must disarm and end its rule of Gaza under Trump's proposal for ending the war, has deployed internal security forces in parts of the Gaza Strip since a ceasefire came into effect on Friday, saying it aims to stop lawlessness and looting and prevent a security vacuum.

Asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One about reports that Hamas was instituting itself as a police force and shooting rivals, 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".

"You have close to 2 million people going back to buildings that have been demolished, and a lot of bad things can happen. So we want it to be - we want it to be safe. I think it's going to be fine. Who knows for sure," Trump said.

Much of Gaza has been turned to a wasteland during the war ignited by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.

Hamas security forces have been clashing with members of a clan in Gaza City over the last two days.

The Hamas Interior Ministry issued a statement on Sunday offering an amnesty to people it said had joined outlawed gangs responsible for stealing humanitarian aid and looting, on condition they were not involved in bloodshed.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Ros Russell)

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