Donald Trump, the US President, spoke to journalists at the White House after Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed authorities received the remains of four more dead hostages
Donald Trump last night threatened to forcibly disarm Hamas if they refuse to give up their weapons.
Although Hamas returned the bodies of more dead hostages on Tuesday, fears have grown the fragile Gaza ceasefire could collapse as Israel has declined to open the Rafah border crossing to aid.
And the furious US President vented at Hamas, telling reporters at the White House: “They will disarm — and if they don’t I’m gonna make them disarm. They know what I mean.” The 79-year-old politician warned America stood ready to bring about Hamas’s disarmament “quickly and perhaps violently.”
Mr Trump said the jihadists “misrepresented” how many dead hostages they would be able to deliver, originally stating “they had 26, 24”. Only eight coffins have been retrieved from Gaza so far, including the four released on Tuesday night.
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Speaking to the journalists, Mr Trump added: “It seems they don’t have that because we’re talking about a much lesser number. But that’s a very tough subject. I want them back. That’s what they said. I want them back.” He also said Hamas “took out two very evil gangs” in Gaza and “killed a number of them,” a development he said “didn’t bother me much.”
Hamas faces violent opposition from several armed gangs in the Gaza Strip, which have sprung up after Israel wiped out the terrorists’ leadership. Mr Trump returned from Egypt late last night after signing a historic peace deal and speaking in Israel following the release of 20 hostages by Hamas.
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But despite the celebrations, it remains unclear whether the peace will hold after two years of fighting that has left more than 70,000 dead, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Mr Trump’s 20-point peace plan demands that Hamas disarm, and turn over the dead hostages — neither pledge has yet been honored. The IDF on Tuesday night said that the Red Cross had collected four more coffins of dead hostages from Gaza. It follows the release of another four bodies last night.
The bodies of 20 hostages, which Hamas promised to release as part of the peace deal, are still unaccounted for. Earlier, Israeli officials said the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt would remain closed at least through Wednesday, with aid deliveries into Gaza reduced to pressure Hamas to return the remaining bodies.