WASHINGTON — President Trump declared Tuesday that the Gaza peace process “IS NOT DONE” as Hamas has yet to release the bodies of all deceased Israeli hostages.
Hamas freed 20 living hostages in a historic exchange on Monday, along with the bodies of four more slain Israelis,
Another four sets of remains were returned later Tuesday, leaving 20 hostage bodies still inside the Gaza Strip.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social hours after returning from his trip to Israel and Egypt celebrating the cease-fire deal that freed all living Hamas hostages.
Trump, aboard Air Force One on Monday on his way back to the White House, said he’s focused on the “rebuilding of Gaza.” REUTERS“THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins right NOW!!!”
When asked if Hamas was holding up its end of the deal, Trump told reporters, “We’ll find out.”
The message from Trump comes after a group representing the hostages sent a letter to US special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, urging the administration to pressure Hamas to release the remaining bodies.
“What we feared is now happening before our eyes,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said.
“We must ensure that all remaining hostages come home. We cannot rest, and we know you will not rest, until every last hostage is returned.
A convoy of vehicles escorting the remains of deceased Israeli hostages arriving in Tel Aviv on Oct. 13, 2025. Israeli Police via Reuters
Israelis awaiting the arrival of the bodies of four deceased hostages in Tel Aviv. REUTERS/Itai Ron “We ask you to pull out every stop and leave no stone unturned in demanding that Hamas fulfill their end of the agreement and bring all the remaining hostages home,” the families added.
Hamas maintains that it needs more time to locate and return all the hostages given the widespread destruction in Gaza and the fact that some of the captives were taken by other terrorist groups in the Palestinian enclave.
Israel has accused Hamas of not doing enough to secure the slain hostages, with the country’s military ordering the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt to remain closed as a form of sanction for breaking the cease-fire agreement.
Trump signing the Gaza peace agreement at a summit in Egypt with other world leaders on Oct. 13, 2025. Photo by Suzanne Plunkett – Pool / Getty ImagesThe move would limit the amount of humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza, with the United Nations being told that only 300 trucks, half the agreed number, will be allowed to enter the Strip on Wednesday.
“Hamas violated the agreement regarding the release of the bodies of the hostages,” Israel’s humanitarian office for Gaza said as the reason for limiting aid.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan also calls for Hamas to disarm and be replaced with an interim government and an international peacekeeping deployment.
Hamas has repeatedly said it will neither disarm nor cede complete control of the Gaza Strip.
With Post wires
