Trump officials contradict Israeli position that Hamas violated deal

Multiple senior US advisors claim Hamas has adhered to the Gaza peace deal and are pushing for implementation of the second phase – despite the terror group failing to return the bodies of slain hostages.

By World Israel News Staff

Senior Trump administration officials are pushing back on accusations that Hamas has violated the first phase of the 20-point Gaza peace plan, and are calling for the implementation of the next phase of the deal.

Multiple senior US advisors told i24NEWS Thursday that they consider the first phase of the Gaza peace plan to have been successfully and fully completed, adding that it is time for the second phase to be implemented.

Under the first phase of the deal, Hamas agreed to release all 48 remaining hostages, including 20 living captives and the remains of 28 slain hostages.

On Monday, Hamas returned the 20 living hostages, but has thus far returned the remains of only 9 slain captives.

One body transferred from Hamas to Israel was identified as belonging to a Palestinian man from Jericho, who was dressed in an IDF uniform when he was handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Israel has warned that it considers Hamas’ failure to return the remaining hostages’ bodies a violation of the deal, and as such has refused to open the Rafah Crossing from Egypt into Gaza.

Nevertheless, aid transfers from Israel’s border crossings with Gaza have increased significantly, leading the advisors cited in Thursday’s report to conclude that the requirement for allowing greater flow of humanitarian aid has also been fulfilled.

“There have been no cuts in humanitarian aid,” one senior official said.

The advisors acknowledged that the deal’s implementation is “complex,” but added that it was “on track.”

They also emphasized that the return of the remaining slain hostages would be a key part of the second phase of the peace deal.

“No one gets left behind,” said one official.

In addition, phase two will center on the disarming of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip – both significant challenges which Hamas officials have hinted they will not comply with.

“It’s not realistic to expect people to simply drop arms overnight,” said one senior advisor said. “We’re defining a path that makes everyone feel secure. Gaza must be demilitarized, but this will take time and coordination.”