Trump Announces Start of Second Phase of Gaza Deal and Handover of Remains of Israeli Hostages
Al-Khamisa News Network - Gaza
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that the second phase of the Gaza agreement has officially begun, saying “all living hostages have returned from Gaza in good condition,” but he added that “the mission is not over yet,” referring to the fact that the bodies of the dead have not yet been recovered as previously agreed.
A source told Reuters that Hamas informed mediators of its intention to begin transferring the remains of four deceased hostages to Israel this evening, with the operation to start at 10:00 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT).
According to the Jerusalem Post, citing an Israeli source, Israel was told by mediators that a handover of several bodies of captives will take place tonight.
Israeli pressure and calls to speed up the handover
Israeli officials said the Rafah crossing will remain closed until at least Wednesday, with the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza reduced — a step they said was intended to pressure Hamas to speed up the transfer of the remains of hostages it holds. Israel later announced it had suspended this measure after receiving four bodies from Hamas.
The Israeli Hostages Families Forum issued a statement saying that “the failure to release the remaining bodies is a clear breach of the ceasefire agreement,” calling on the Israeli government and the international community to act urgently to complete the operation.
Field and logistical challenges
The International Committee of the Red Cross said that handing over the remains of hostages and detainees who fell during the war between Israel and Hamas “will take time,” calling the operation “a huge challenge” due to the difficulty of reaching burial sites amid the vast destruction in Gaza.
The move is a key part of the second phase of the agreement recently reached with U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediation. Alongside the exchange of remains, it includes wider field and humanitarian arrangements, amid regional and international anticipation over how the agreement will be implemented.
