Trump Could Give Israel OK to Resume Fighting If Hamas Doesn’t Uphold Deal  

President Donald Trump says he would consider giving Israel the green light to resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas does not uphold the terms of the ceasefire agreement and hostage deal.  

Israeli forces could return to Gaza “as soon as I say the word,” Trump told CNN on Wednesday. “What’s going on with Hamas—that’ll be straightened out quickly,” the president added.  

Hamas said Wednesday it had found all remains of deceased hostages it was able to locate without “special equipment.”  

“The resistance has abided by the agreement and handed over all the living prisoners in its possession, as well as every body it was able to reach,” Hamas said. “The remaining bodies require significant efforts and special equipment for search-and-recovery operations. We are working to close this issue.” 

The deal that Israel and Hamas, through mediators, agreed to last week requires the return of all living and deceased hostages held in Gaza. Hamas released the 20 living hostages and the remains of only seven, leaving the bodies of 21 other hostages still in Gaza.  

The Israel Defense Forces are expecting the bodies of two additional hostages to be returned to Israel Wednesday evening.  

“Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the hostages,” the IDF said.  

Israeli troops have withdrawn to an agreed-upon “yellow line” in Gaza and have paused all fighting as part of the ceasefire agreement that is based on Trump’s 20-point peace plan between Israel and Hamas. Phase one of the peace agreement is currently in effect, and phase two is expected to include a permanent end to the war and the complete disarmament of Hamas.  

“They’re going to disarm,” Trump said of Hamas while speaking with reporters at the White House on Tuesday, adding, “and if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them.”  

“How will you do that?” a reporter asked.  

“I don’t have to explain that to you,” Trump answered. “But if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. They know I’m not playing games.”  

For now, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues to hold.  

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