Following an air strike over the weekend by Israel that killed over 30 people across the Gaza Strip, leaves the two sides unclear of where they stand in accordance with a multi-point peace deal that was brokered by President Donald Trump last October.

Sources say that Israeli officials claimed the air strikes were in response to Hamas violating the ceasefire agreement late last week. There have been other alleged violations before then as well. US Senator Chuck Grassley remains optimistic that peace will still find its way to that area of the Middle East.

“I hope that we get peace there, the way it was intended. We have a lot of peace compared to over the last two and a half years. But still, until this agreement is finally reached, we’ve got to keep praying for peace and hopefully everybody abides by it. I don’t know why the Gazans agreed to it in the first place if they aren’t going to disarm because they knew that was part of the peace process.” 

Grassley adds that the next step in the over 20-point peace deal by President Trump can’t begin until Hamas disarms itself.