VIDEO: Trump says 'hell to pay' if Hamas fails to disarm in short period

• US President Donald Trump warned Monday that Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it does not disarm quickly as part of a Gaza deal.

US President Donald Trump warned Iran of fresh strikes and said Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it fails to disarm in Gaza, as he presented a united front with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

"If they don't disarm as, as they agreed to do, they agreed to it, and then there will be hell to pay for them," Trump told a joint news conference with 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida.

"They have to disarm in a fairly short period of time," Trump said.

Speaking at a news conference with Netanyahu in Florida, Trump threatened to "eradicate" any attempt by Tehran to rebuild its nuclear program or ballistic missile arsenal following US and 'Israeli' strikes earlier this year.

Trump also downplayed reports of tensions with Netanyahu over the second stage of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, saying that 'Israel' had "lived up" to its commitments and that the onus was on Hamas.

Hamas's armed wing reiterated earlier on Monday that it would not surrender its weapons.

Netanyahu said it had been a "very productive" meeting and announced that Israel was awarding Trump its highest civilian honor, the first time it has gone to a non-'Israeli' citizen.

Trump, the self-proclaimed "president of peace," has been keen to move onto the next phase of the Gaza truce, which would see a Palestinian technocratic government installed and the deployment of an international stabilization force.

'Behaving badly' 

While some White House officials fear Netanyahu is slow-walking the process, Trump said he had "very little difference" with the 'Israeli' premier and was "not concerned about anything that Israel's doing."

During their fifth meeting in the United States since Trump's return to power this year, Netanyahu also appeared to have steered the US leader toward focusing on 'Israel's' concerns about Iran.

'Israeli' officials and media have expressed concern in recent months that Iran is rebuilding its ballistic missile arsenal after it came under attack during the 12-day war with 'Israel' in June.

Trump said Iran "may be behaving badly" and was looking at new nuclear sites to replace those targeted by US strikes during the same conflict, as well as restoring its missiles.

"I hope they're not trying to build up again because if they are, we're going have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup," Trump said, adding that the US response "may be more powerful than the last time."

But Trump said he believed Iran was still interested in a deal with Washington on its nuclear and missile programs. Tehran denies that it is seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran on Monday denounced the reports as a "psychological operation" against Tehran, emphasizing it was fully prepared to defend itself, and warning renewed aggression would "result in harsher consequences" for Israel.

'Harsher consequences'

Trump and Netanyahu's talks also focused on other regional tension points, including Syria and the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

Trump said he hoped Netanyahu could "get along" with Syria's new president despite a series of 'Israeli' strikes along their border.

Netanyahu's visit caps a frantic few days of international diplomacy in Palm Beach, where Trump hosted Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday for talks on ending Russia's invasion.

The Axios news site said Trump seeks to make announcements as soon as January on an interim government and an international force.

But Trump gave few details beyond saying that he hoped "reconstruction" could begin soon in the Palestinian territory, devastated by 'Israeli' attacks.

The disarmament of Hamas however continued to be a sticking point, with its armed wing again saying that it would not surrender its arms.

"Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation remains," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a video message.