Trump Says Saudi-Israel Ties Likely by Year-End; Warns Hamas Leaders Face Deadly Consequences

Washington: U.S. President Donald J. Trump said in a wide-ranging interview that he expects Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalise relations by the end of the year, adding that Riyadh is likely to “lead the way” in a broader push to expand the Abraham Accords.

Speaking to Time magazine, Trump described recent negotiations as moving in a “positive direction” and expressed confidence that Saudi leadership would help bring reluctant regional players into a formal agreement with Israel.

On security issues related to Gaza and Hamas, Trump delivered a stark warning. He said militant commanders must disarm or face forceful action, and in televised remarks and exchanges with reporters asserted that if Hamas leaders continue to enable bloodshed “we will have no choice but to go in and kill them,” a line widely reported by international outlets.

The president framed the diplomatic push as tied to recent developments in Gaza and a reduced perceived Iranian threat — factors he said have created the conditions for Arab states to reconsider ties with Israel. Analysts caution, however, that political, religious and public-opinion hurdles in the region mean formal Saudi-Israeli normalisation would still require delicate bargaining and guarantees.

The comments come amid a flurry of U.S. diplomacy in the region and follow ceasefire and prisoner-release arrangements brokered in recent weeks. Washington officials and regional partners will be closely watching Riyadh’s next steps and any formal signals towards joining the Abraham Accords.