U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said on Sunday that if Hamas reneges on the Gaza cease-fire-for-hostages deal, the United States will support Israel "in doing what it has to do."
He added in an interview with CBS' Face the Nation, "Hamas will never govern Gaza. That is completely unacceptable."
Waltz said Trump and his team have made clear to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding "I want the Israeli people to hear me loud and clear."
"If Hamas reneges on this deal and Hamas backs out, moves the goalpost, what have you, we will support Israel in doing what it has to do," he said.
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Waltz was also optimistic about the Trump administration being able to broker a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia as part of the Abraham Accords.
Meanwhile, Hamas said it would abide by a cease-fire agreement that came into force in Gaza on Sunday but that any possible Israeli violations would endanger the process and put the lives of hostages at risk.
In a video speech, al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubaida urged mediators to compel Israel to commit to the cease-fire deal.