In a stern message posted on Truth Social, President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to Hamas, saying: “If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.”

The post capped a swift 48-hour flip in the president’s stance after he initially appeared to endorse — albeit temporarily — Hamas’s summary executions of rival gang members and alleged collaborators. On Tuesday Trump said he had given Hamas “approval for a period of time” to carry out those actions, claiming the group was targeting some “very bad gangs.” By Wednesday, however, U.S. military leadership in the region publicly urged Hamas to halt attacks on “innocent Palestinian civilians.”

At the White House, the president repeated his hardline posture while addressing the ongoing delays in returning the bodies of hostages. “It’s a tough neighborhood, we know that. We have a commitment from them, and I assume they’re going to honor that commitment. I hope they do, and I understand they brought back some additional bodies today,” Trump told reporters.

He continued, warning that U.S. patience would not be indefinite: “It’s a tough situation. They brought back bodies today, as you probably know. But they also said they’re going to behave. We’re going to find out if they behave. If they behave, good. If they don’t behave, we’ll take care of it.”

The president’s comments signal renewed pressure on Hamas as talks and returns of remains remain stalled.