President Donald Trump sent a stark message to Hamas on Tuesday, warning the terrorist network that if it does not disarm, “we will disarm them.”
“They said they were going to disarm, and if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them,” he told reporters at the White House during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei.
Trump’s comments came a day after all 20 living hostages were released in Israel after nearly 740 days in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, although most of the 28 deceased hostages have not been returned.
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House on October 14, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
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Hamas agreed to return all living and deceased hostages within 72 hours of reaching an agreement with Israel, a time frame that officially began on Saturday and ended on Monday.
But Hamas indicated it may not be able to locate all the bodies of the deceased, including Americans Omer Neutra and Itay Chen, and an international task force was set up this weekend to track them down.
“Above all, bring back the hostages,” Trump said, adding that Hamas had “misrepresented” the number of bodies it could return.
Three photos of families reunited with hostages released by Hamas on Monday, October 13, 2025, as a ceasefire takes effect. (IDF)
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“I want them back. That’s what they said. I want them back,” Trump said. “They also said they would disarm.”
Trump would not specify exactly what action he would take to “disarm” Hamas by force, although he has said he would support Israel in carrying out its full military ambitions in the Gaza Strip if the terrorist network refuses to hand over its weapons.
The disarmament phase would begin in the second phase of the agreement, which would begin after all hostages were returned.
People walk past posters of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on October 10, 2025. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images)
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But Trump suggested on Tuesday that the second phase had already begun in a Truth Social post when he said: “All 20 hostages are back and feeling as well as can be expected. A great burden has been lifted, but the job is not done. The dead have not returned as promised! Phase Two begins now!!!”
Once Hamas has disarmed, the Israel Defense Force will also further withdraw from the enclave.
