United States President Donald Trump said that "nothing is going to jeopardize" the ceasefire in Gaza during a conversation with reporters on Air Force One early Wednesday morning, according to Reuters.
"You have to understand Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave," Trump told the reporters.
"If they (Hamas) are good, they are going to be happy, and if they are not good, they are going to be terminated, their lives will be terminated."
Vice President JD Vance also said on Tuesday that the ceasefire in Gaza was holding despite Israeli strikes in Gaza City, and both Israel and Hamas' accusations of violations against each other.
"The ceasefire is holding. That doesn't mean that there aren't going to be little skirmishes here and there," Vance told reporters.
IDF ups response against Hamas amid violations
The IDF expanded its strikes across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday after Hamas terrorists fired at soldiers in southern Gaza, according to Palestinian reports.
The IDF announced on Wednesday morning that one soldier was killed by Hamas sniper fire, which triggered the strikes on Tuesday.
Trump defended the IDF's response to reporters on Air Force One. "They killed an Israeli soldier, so the Israelis hit back, and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit back."
The Israeli military also struck the area of the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, claimed the hospital's director-general.
Israel is also considering further encroaching into areas of the Gaza Strip that it had previously withdrawn from. An Israeli source said that it will "nibble away" at additional territory currently under Hamas control.
These actions follow multiple ceasefire violations by Hamas, including firing an anti-tank missile and shooting at IDF troops in Rafah.
An Israeli official told the Post that Israel's response to Hamas's violations will be "much more significant" than the last time. At the same time, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Hamas will "pay a heavy price" for attacking IDF soldiers and violating the agreement to return hostage remains.
On Monday night, Hamas returned additional remains of former hostage Ofir Tzarfati, marking the third time Tzarfati's remains have been discovered, returned, and buried. In response, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum alluded to yet another Hamas violation.
"Hamas knows the location of all the hostages and continues to act with contempt, deceiving mediators and the international community while desecrating the dignity of our loved ones," the forum said.
Reuters contributed to this report.