Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 26: US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Hamas, urging the militant group to swiftly return the bodies of deceased hostages — including two Americans — or face consequences from Arab nations involved in ongoing peace efforts.
“Hamas is going to have to start returning the bodies of the deceased hostages, including two Americans, quickly, or the other countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action,” Trump wrote late Saturday on Truth Social. “Some of the bodies are hard to reach, but others they can return now, and for some reason, they are not.”
He added, “Let’s see what they do over the next 48 hours. I am watching this very closely.”
According to U.S. officials, while all surviving hostages have been released from Gaza, the remains of 13 deceased captives have yet to be recovered. In his post, Trump reiterated his expectation of compliance from Hamas, saying, “When I said both sides would be treated fairly, that only applies if they comply with their obligations.”
The President’s comments came shortly after a meeting aboard Air Force One in Doha with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. Praising Qatar’s mediation role, Trump said, “The Emir is one of the great rulers of the world… and the Prime Minister has been my friend.”
Trump later confirmed that the Gaza peace process was a key topic of discussion during the stopover before his trip to Asia. Qatar has been a central player in negotiations aimed at securing lasting ceasefires and facilitating humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met with the families of Itay Chen and Omer Neutra — two American citizens killed in the October 7, 2023, attacks.
As part of the current ceasefire framework, Hamas has so far returned 15 of the 28 bodies listed in the U.S.-brokered agreement. The group has claimed that further recoveries require “significant efforts and special equipment” due to the conditions in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials told CNN that Egypt has dispatched a specialized team with recovery equipment to assist in locating the remaining bodies inside the enclave.