Trump's Gaza plan could be a nightmare for the West

Donald Trump's latest outburst on Gaza demanding that Hamas release all hostages held there by Saturday or there will be "hell to pay" is as mad as the threats to cut aid to Egypt and Jordan are dangerous and will only empower America's enemies.

- SAM KILEY

The US president doesn't have any capacity - that Israel doesn't already possess to make Hamas "pay" for not releasing the remaining hostages. His threats sit against the backdrop of a ceasefire deal that, for now, is barely holding.

If the ceasefire breaks down entirely, then Israel may continue to bombard the enclave. Trump has already given Benjamin Netanyahu carte blanche to do so - and has lifted Biden's previous restrictions on supplying 2,000lb bombs.

It's conceivable that Trump is threatening the unthinkable - that Gaza's 2.3 million people will face attack not just by Israel but by the US (which, technically, could attack the Gaza Strip's population with cruise missiles, bunker-busting bombs and even naval guns from the Mediterranean).

This would test the limits of the US constitution - it would be seen as an act of war, launched without congressional approval. His assault on the rest of the federal government, including the CIA and the Department of Defence, suggests that he doesn't care to preserve the constitution he's sworn to protect.

But even if he doesn't wage war on Gaza, he is nevertheless still on the way to blowing up the Middle East and handing America's power of influence and patronage to its rivals.

He is now threatening to cut aid to Egypt and Jordan unless they take in some 1.8 million people to live in "beautiful homes" that these desert nations are expected to build with imaginary "billions" from the US.