“They will disarm because they said they would. If they don’t, we will disarm them,” Trump told reporters at the White House on October 14. “It will happen very quickly and could be very intense, but they will have to disarm.”
The U.S. president did not specify who would be responsible for carrying out the disarmament or whether the United States would take part, but stressed that he was “not joking” about the matter. Trump added that Hamas had assured him, through high-level intermediaries, that “Yes, Mr. President, we will disarm.”
So far, Hamas has refused to disarm, even though doing so is a key element of Phase Two in Trump’s 20-point plan for a ceasefire and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Another point of contention is the return of hostages’ bodies. While Hamas released 20 living hostages on October 13, the group continues to hold the bodies of 24 others and has so far returned only four. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has threatened to cut humanitarian aid to Gaza if the remains of Israeli soldiers are not released.
“Twenty hostages have returned—that’s a good thing. A huge burden has been lifted, but the job isn’t done,” Trump said. “The bodies haven’t been returned as promised. Phase Two begins now.”
Trump later told reporters that Hamas had misreported the number of bodies held, saying, “It appears they don’t actually have those remains—we’re talking about a much smaller number. It’s a very difficult situation.”
Israel and Hamas signed the Phase One ceasefire agreement in Cairo on October 9, which took effect on October 10. Under the deal, Israeli forces withdrew to behind the Gold Line, retaining control of about 53% of Gaza’s territory, mainly outside urban areas. On October 13, Hamas freed the remaining 20 hostages and handed over several bodies as part of the exchange.
In return, Israel released 1,986 prisoners, most of them Palestinians held in Israeli jails. A hospital in Gaza reported receiving the bodies of 45 Palestinians repatriated under the deal.
On the same day, the leaders of Egypt, the United States, Qatar, and Turkey signed a joint declaration on Gaza, pledging to pursue a “comprehensive vision for peace, security, and regional prosperity,” and welcoming progress toward a “comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement.”
According to Trump’s peace roadmap, once all hostages and prisoners are released, Israel will begin withdrawing its forces from Gaza in preparation for the next round of peace talks.