WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump warned Hamas on Tuesday to face “FAST, FURIOUS & BRUTAL” force if the Palestinian group fails to “do what is right,” as he pushes forward with the next and more complex phase of the Gaza ceasefire — a truce that has already faced repeated challenges.
In a social media post, Trump said several US allies had expressed willingness to intervene militarily in Gaza to strike Hamas. However, he claimed to have advised both Hamas and Israel to hold off — for now.
Since the ceasefire was signed eight days ago, both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violations, citing sporadic violence, delays in the return of hostage remains, restricted aid deliveries, and limited border access.
US Vice President JD Vance, who arrived in Israel on Tuesday, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday.
According to Israeli officials, the talks will focus on key security concerns and potential political opportunities.
Central to those discussions is Trump’s proposed 20-point ceasefire plan, which aims to transition from the current fragile truce to more difficult objectives — including the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of a pathway toward a Palestinian state.
Hamas released another hostage’s body late on Monday and announced plans to hand over two more by late Tuesday, which would leave 13 bodies still in Gaza.
Israeli officials believe additional remains may be returned soon, but acknowledge that locating and retrieving some bodies will require a slower and more complex process.
Meanwhile, Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Tuesday, bringing the total number of returned remains to 165, according to local health authorities.
Inside Gaza, aid deliveries increased on Tuesday through two Israeli-controlled crossings, according to Palestinian and UN officials.
However, humanitarian agencies warned that the current flow of aid remains far from sufficient, as residents face dire and worsening conditions.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported that while aid deliveries are gradually increasing, they remain well below the daily target of 2,000 tons.
The agency added that no aid has yet reached northern Gaza, where famine conditions are most severe, due to the limited number of open crossings.
The Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday at least seven Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire across the enclave over the previous 24 hours, bringing to 68,229 the total number killed since the war started.
