"I think they want to die," Trump said after the failure of talks with Hamas.

US President Donald Trump declared this Friday that Hamas is not interested in reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. This statement came after the failure of recent negotiations with representatives of the Islamist movement.

"Hamas really didn't want to reach an agreement. I think they want to die. And it's very, very serious," Trump told reporters shortly before leaving for Scotland.

He explained that the conflict remains stuck in the final stages of the hostage release process, and this would complicate any possibility of a truce. "We are dealing with the last hostages, and they know what happens next. That's why they didn't want to reach an agreement," he said.

In the same meeting with journalists, the US president downplayed the announcement by his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, who confirmed that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state during the next UN General Assembly, scheduled for September in New York.

"He's a very nice guy, I like him, but that statement carries no weight," Trump said when asked about the international recognition Macron has championed.

The Israeli position

Before the US president's remarks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had once again singled out Hamas as the main obstacle to moving forward with an agreement for the hostages' release.

"Special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was right. Hamas is the obstacle to an agreement on the release of the hostages," the Israeli prime minister said in an official statement.

Netanyahu added that they are working with the United States to find alternatives that will allow for the return of the captives and the weakening of the Hamas regime in Gaza, with the goal of achieving stability in the region.

Trade with the European Union

In parallel with his remarks on the Middle East conflict, Trump also addressed trade tensions with the European Union. He estimated there is a 50% chance of reaching an agreement with the bloc before the August 1 deadline.

"I'd say we have a 50/50 chance, maybe less, but 50/50," he said, leaving open the possibility of imposing new tariffs if an agreement isn't reached.

The Republican president warned that if there is no agreement, he will impose 30% tariffs on products imported from Europe.

For its part, the European Union has already announced a gradual response should the talks fail. The plan includes an initial retaliation package starting August 7 and a more significant one planned for September of this year or February 2026.

Among the measures being considered by Brussels are tariffs on US products, especially steel, aluminum, and automobiles. According to official documents published by the EU, these countermeasures have an estimated value of €93 billion .