U.S. President Donald Trump announced on October 14 that the second phase of the peace agreement for Gaza is now starting.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called on Hamas—the Palestinian group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union—to release the remaining bodies of hostages who were killed, stating that this step is necessary to move into the second phase.
“A heavy burden has been lifted, but THE WORK IS NOT FINISHED. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED AS PROMISED,” Trump wrote, a day after visiting Israel and Egypt to celebrate the agreement ending the war.
“Phase two starts NOW,” he added.
The day before, Hamas released 20 living hostages, while Israel in return released nearly 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Hamas also handed over the remains of several deceased hostages to the Red Cross, which subsequently delivered the bodies to Israel.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 20-point plan presented by Trump. The first phase of the plan included the release of hostages and the implementation of a ceasefire in Gaza.
The plan also calls for the disarmament of Hamas, a demand previously made by Israel but not accepted by Hamas.
During his visit to Israel on October 13, Trump stated that everyone is witnessing the dawn of a historic new Middle East.
He then traveled to Egypt for a summit attended by over 20 world leaders, where he and the leaders of Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey signed the peace plan for Gaza.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and abducting 251 others. As a result of Israel’s retaliatory offensive, over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to the local Ministry of Health.
