US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the beginning of “phase two” of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, declaring that while the return of living hostages marks progress, the mission remains incomplete until the remains of all deceased hostages are recovered.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “ALL TWENTY HOSTAGES ARE BACK AND FEELING AS GOOD AS CAN BE EXPECTED. 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!!!”
So far, Hamas has released 20 living Israeli hostages and 1,700 Palestinian detainees under the first phase of the truce, according to officials. However, the remains of 24 deceased hostages have not yet been handed over to Israel — with only four bodies returned to date.
“Phase two” of the plan is expected to involve further prisoner exchanges, enhanced humanitarian aid to Gaza, and a monitoring mechanism to verify the return of all hostages and the withdrawal of armed factions from designated zones.
Despite the partial success of the ceasefire’s first stage, the continued delay in returning the bodies has drawn criticism from Israeli officials and the families of victims, who accuse Hamas of violating both the spirit and letter of the agreement.
Trump’s comments come even as the return of the deceased hostages is technically a part of phase one of the 20-point ceasefire agreement he brokered earlier this month. The plan had called for the release of “all hostages, alive and deceased,” within 72 hours of the ceasefire’s signing, with allowances for brief logistical delays.
