Trump Warns Israel Could Resume Gaza Operations if Hamas Violates Ceasefire

Washington, MINA – US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Israel could resume military aggression in the Gaza Strip if Hamas fails to uphold the terms of the current ceasefire agreement.

“What’s going on with Hamas that’ll be straightened out quickly,” Trump told CNN in a phone interview. “Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap out of them, they’d do that,” he said, adding, “I had to hold them back.”

Trump emphasized that the release of 20 living Israeli hostages was “paramount,” but urged Hamas to fulfill its remaining commitments under the deal, including returning the bodies of deceased captives and fully disarming.

Meanwhile, Hamas confirmed that it would hand over the remains of two more Israeli captives later Wednesday night at 10 p.m. local time (1900GMT), in line with the ceasefire terms.

Also Read: Israel Receives Bodies of Two More Hostages from Red Cross in Gaza

The Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, stated that it had “abided by what was agreed upon, delivering all living captives it held and all the bodies it was able to reach.”

The group added that recovering the remaining bodies “requires significant effort and specialized equipment” but stressed that it is “working hard to close this file.”

Last week, Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a plan he proposed on Sept. 29, which includes a ceasefire, the exchange of all Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The first phase took effect last Friday.

Under the agreement, Hamas released 20 living Israeli hostages and handed over the remains of eight others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Also Read: Hamasneh Brothers Freed After 32 Years in Israeli Prisons

The second phase of the plan envisions the creation of a new governing body in Gaza without Hamas’ participation, the deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force, and the disarmament of Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 67,900 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children leaving the enclave almost entirely uninhabitable.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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