U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that Hamas must disarm or face decisive military action, stating, “If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently.” This statement was made during a White House meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei. Trump’s comments come on the heels of Hamas releasing the last of its Israeli hostages from Gaza, coupled with Israel’s release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees as part of a ceasefire agreement initiated by Trump himself.
However, Hamas has yet to publicly commit to the disarmament Trump is insisting upon. The former president asserted that he had communicated the disarmament terms using intermediaries, claiming, “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.”
In a bid to maintain momentum, Trump emphasized that the next phase of the ceasefire is underway, urging the recovery of those killed in the conflict. He took to social media, posting, “A big burden has been lifted, but the job IS NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins right NOW!!!”
Despite the ceasefire agreement’s progress, Hamas appears resistant to some of Trump’s demands. Spokesman Hazem Qassem outright rejected the notion of disarming and insisted the group will retain control over the Gaza Strip. He stated, “We do not need to limit ourselves to the Israeli terms and definitions related to weapons,” emphasizing Hamas’s commitment to resist Israeli demands.
While there have been signals from Hamas indicating a willingness to allow Palestinian technocrats to assume leadership roles, Qassem made clear that the group would remain involved in managing Gaza’s administrative affairs.
The fragile ceasefire faced additional challenges as Israel announced cuts to aid entering Gaza and delays in opening the crucial Rafah border crossing with Egypt. These measures follow accusations that Hamas has violated the U.S.-brokered agreement by withholding the remains of Israeli hostages.
The latest developments come after the ceasefire’s first phase saw the return of the last 20 living Israeli hostages, an event celebrated in Israel, while Palestinians rejoiced over Israel’s release of nearly 2,000 detainees. During this exchange, Hamas returned the remains of four deceased hostages but cautioned that identifying burial sites for another 24 deceased could prolong the process. Despite these challenges, the Israeli military later reported that the Red Cross received four additional bodies from Gaza.
According to the ceasefire terms, all hostages, both living and deceased, were to be returned within 72 hours of the agreement. The terms also mandated Hamas to share information regarding the remaining deceased hostages and make every effort to fulfill these commitments expediently.
As the situation continues to evolve, the implications of these developments raise questions about the future of peace negotiations and the stability of the ceasefire in Gaza.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/trump-issues-stern-warning-to-hamas-if-they-don-t-disarm-we-will-disarm-them-and-it-will-happen-violently-11760473908670.html
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Publish Date: 2025-10-15 02:48:00
