Trump said Hamas had promised him it would disarm – and if it did not, it would be forcibly disarmed, although he declined to explain how.
“They’re going to disarm because they said they were going to disarm, and if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them,” he told reporters in Washington. “They know I’m not playing games.”
US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday.Credit: AP
Israeli excavators work in the Gaza Strip as the sun sets on Tuesday.Credit: AP
Asked how that would occur, Trump said: “I don’t have to explain that to you.” But he later added “it’ll happen quickly and perhaps violently”, and said he would give Hamas “a reasonable period of time” before intervening.
Trump was unbothered by reports that Hamas fighters killed upwards of two dozen people who were associated with the Dughmush clan, likening it to the US’ own battle against members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.
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“[Hamas] did take out a couple of gangs that were very bad … They killed a number of gang members. That didn’t bother me much, to be honest with you,” he said.
But he was insistent the terrorist group would voluntarily lay down arms. “I spoke to Hamas and I said, ‘You’re going to disarm, right?’ ‘Yes, sir, we’re going to disarm’. That’s what they told me.”
He later clarified he had not spoken directly with Hamas leaders, but that this was communicated to his team. American news outlet Axios revealed special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner met Hamas’ leadership in Egypt last week.
Trump called for Hamas to return the bodies of the remaining dead hostages, believed to number about 20, but indicated that Hamas may not be in possession of all the remains.
“They misrepresented because we were told they had 26, 24 [bodies] of dead hostages,” he said. “It seems as though they don’t have that.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it would take time to secure the return of the remaining deceased hostages, as finding them in the rubble of Gaza would be a “massive challenge”.
On Wednesday (AEST), the Israeli Defence Forces said four coffins of deceased hostages had escorted into Israel by the IDF and Shin Bet and were being taken to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine for identification. The coffins had originally been transferred into the custody of the Red Cross.
IDF personnel would accompany families to identify the remains. “Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the hostages,” the IDF said on X.
Palestinians walk through the al-Zahra area in central Gaza Strip on Tuesday, as displaced residents return to their homes.Credit: AFP
Earlier, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main group representing families of the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, released a letter it sent to Witkoff asking for US help to secure the release of the remaining bodies.
It requested Witkoff “pull out every stop and leave no stone unturned” in demanding Hamas honour the full extent of the agreement.
“What we feared is now happening before our eyes … We cannot rest, and we know you will not rest, until every last hostage is returned,” the letter said.
In a separate social media post, Trump called for the rapid return of more bodies. “A big burden has been lifted, but the job IS NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED!” he wrote on Truth Social.
People light candles outside Abu Kabir, the forensic institute where the identification process is being carried out on the bodies of returned hostages.Credit: AP
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COGAT, the Israeli military arm responsible for aid flow into Gaza, blamed Hamas’ slow release of hostage bodies for its decision to restrict aid trucks to 300 daily. It has also notified the UN that no fuel or gas will be allowed into the enclave, except for specific needs related to humanitarian infrastructure.
“Hamas violated the agreement regarding the release of the bodies of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip,” a COGAT memo said.
“As a result, the political leadership has decided to impose a number of sanctions related to the humanitarian agreement that was reached.”
with Reuters
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