The Israeli government is expected to approve the peace deal that was first presented late last month by President Donald Trump and subsequently approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But concerns remain over Hamas’s commitment and ability to return all the bodies of the deceased hostages within a 72-hour period starting on Friday evening local time, as prescribed in the terms of the agreement.
Palestinians, including children, gathered in the town of Khan Yunis to celebrate after the announcement of the ceasefire in Gaza on October 9, 2025 in Khan Yunis, Gaza. (Abdallah Fs Alattar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“They have an obligation to return everyone within 72 hours. Hopefully we can keep everything within that framework,” Leiter said when asked about concerns about Hamas’ ability to immediately transfer all deceased hostages. “There are a number of issues we face, and this issue is one of them.
“But we need to get all the bodies back, and I don’t think we can move forward until we get everyone,” he added.
Leiter said part of the problem is that Hamas is not carefully keeping track of where it has left the bodies of the deceased, but warned that Israel will not withdraw its troops from the Gaza Strip until all the bodies are returned.
An agreement was reached overnight after mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar worked for days with Hamas and Israeli officials to hammer out the details of the peace deal, although it remains unclear whether any changes have been made to Trump’s original 20-point plan.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, left, and Yechiel Leiter, Israeli Ambassador to the US, speak to members of the media after meeting with US House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, not pictured, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Reports over the weekend suggested that Hamas was objecting to calls to fully disarm — although in return it would also be offered amnesty and a way out of Gaza to an accepting third party if they chose to leave — and Leiter could not shed light on whether Hamas has formally conceded to the disarmament terms.
“We hope it goes according to the president’s plan,” Leiter said. “We assume, because we have long experience with Hamas and Islamic Jihad and these terrorist organizations, that there will be problems along the way.
“Look, they are going down. This is actually a surrender on the part of Hamas. They don’t like it at all, and they are going to do everything they can to show that they are still relevant,” the ambassador warned.
People gather in Hostages Square during a rally as a participant displays a sign with the names of the hostages, following the peace deal between Israel and Hamas. (Dana Reany/Hostages and Missing Families Forum)
Disarmament is not part of the first phase, which involves the full return of all hostages, the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces to a designated line agreed upon by Israel and Hamas, and the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, 250 of whom are serving life sentences for terrorist crimes, including murder.
The second phase would entail a further withdrawal of Israeli forces, in coordination with the complete disarmament of Hamas and demilitarization of the enclave. An international ‘peace body’ led by Trump would also be established to kick-start the process of rebuilding the Gaza Strip.
“We have now put all our focus on the first phase,” Leiter said, while acknowledging that Hamas has made comments suggesting the country will not disarm and that the second phase of a peace deal could collapse again.
A plume of smoke rises after the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, seen from the northwest of the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, on October 9, 2025. (Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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“But that is part of the plan – that is very clearly part of the president’s plan. That was the goal that Prime Minister Netanyahu had set from the beginning: that Hamas is disarmed, that Gaza is deradicalized and demilitarized.
“We cannot go back to a situation where jihadist militants are on our border, otherwise we will have achieved nothing,” the ambassador said. “This is based on performance. They disarm, are disarmed if necessary, and then Israel withdraws.”
