(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (October 14) said he communicated to Hamas that the militant group must disarm or face forceful action.

“If they don't disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently,” Trump said during a White House meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei.

The remarks came after Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza on Monday, while Israel released busloads of Palestinian detainees under a ceasefire deal brokered by Trump. However, Hamas has not publicly committed to laying down its arms.

Communication through intermediaries

Trump claimed that Hamas agreed to disarm as outlined in his 20-point peace proposal.“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,” he said, clarifying that the message was conveyed through intermediaries.

Gaza peace plan

Trump warned that the ceasefire's next phase had begun , emphasizing the need to recover bodies of those killed.“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!!!” he posted on social media.

Hamas signals resistance to key Trump's ceasefire demands

Hamas appeared to reject key elements of President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan just hours after the release of all 20 hostages from Gaza. Spokesman Hazem Qassem said the group will not give up its weapons or its control over the Gaza Strip.

“We do not need to limit ourselves to the Israeli terms and definitions related to weapons,” Qassem told Al-Arabiya.“We will not be captives to Israeli terms or demands. This is one of the focal points of the struggle in the next stage, after the cessation of aggression in the Gaza Strip.”

While Hamas signaled openness to Palestinian technocrats leading Gaza's management and allowing the Palestinian Authority a role in governance, Qassem insisted the group would remain part of“administrative arrangements” in the Strip.

Gaza ceasefire faces test

The fragile ceasefire in Gaza faced its challenge on Tuesday as Israel announced it would cut the flow of aid into the territory by half and delay the opening of the crucial Rafah border crossing with Egypt. The move came amid accusations that Hamas had breached the US-brokered agreement by withholding the bodies of Israeli hostages.

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On Monday, the first phase of the ceasefire saw the return of the last 20 living Israeli hostages, celebrated in Israel , while Palestinians welcomed the release of nearly 2,000 detainees by Israel .

Hamas handed over the remains of four deceased hostages but indicated that recovering the bodies of another 24 could take longer, as not all burial sites have been identified. Despite this, the Red Cross received four additional bodies from Gaza, the Israeli military said Tuesday night.

Ceasefire terms on hostages

The ceasefire plan required the return of“all hostages, alive and deceased” within 72 hours of the agreement. It also included provisions for delays, requiring Hamas to share information about remaining deceased hostages and“exert maximum effort to ensure the fulfilment of these commitments as soon as possible.”

Also Read | Hamas backtracks on Gaza ceasefire plan, refuses to disarm or cede control

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