Trump & PM Netanyahu threaten return to fighting if Hamas won’t lay down its weapons

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both warned in separate statements on Tuesday that Hamas must disarm, as per the ceasefire agreement’s demand, or face a return to the fighting.

Hamas and Israel are currently in the first stage of the deal, which focuses on the release of the Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and more aid.

The second stage demands the disarmament of the terror group and the handing over of the civilian government to a 15-member committee of Palestinian technocrats under supervision of the “Board of Peace” chaired by President Trump.

.@POTUS on Hamas: "They will disarm. And if they don't disarm, we will disarm them — and it'll happen quickly and, perhaps, violently, but they WILL disarm." pic.twitter.com/69wOMao2oX

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 14, 2025

“If they don't disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently,” Trump said during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump wrote on social media that “a big burden has been lifted” with the return of the hostages, noting that “the job IS NOT DONE.”

He added: “THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins right NOW!!!”

Hamas has so far only returned the living hostages, as well as the bodies of seven out of 28 killed hostages. The terror group also sent to Israel the body of a Gazan citizen, most likely a member of Hamas.

“They know I'm not playing games,” Trump warned while speaking to reporters. “They misrepresented it because we were told they had 26, 24 of the dead hostages, and it seems as though they don't have that. Because we're probably a much lesser number, but that's a very tough subject. I want them back.”

After Hamas returned only four hostage bodies on Monday, Israel implemented sanctions, including the closing of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and aid limitations. On Tuesday, the sanctions were lifted when Hamas transmitted four more bodies. It is unclear how Israel will react to Hamas sending the wrong body.

Trump also addressed reports that Hamas has been reestablishing its control over areas vacated by the IDF in bloody street fights with local gangs, comparing them to Venezuelan gangs his government has combatted.

“They did take out a couple of gangs that were very bad… and they killed a number of gang members and that didn't bother me much, to be honest with you,” said Trump.

“But that we have told them we want to disarm, and they will disarm, and if they don't, we will disarm them,” he stressed.

Reacting to Trump’s comments in an interview to CBS on Tuesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu also emphasized Israel’s commitment to see the terror group disarmed and out of power.

He said he paraphrased Trump’s warning as “all hell breaks loose.”

“I hope it doesn't, I hope we can do this peacefully. We are certainly ready to do so,” Netanyahu stressed.

“We agreed to give peace a chance,” he said, “First, Hamas has to give up its arms, and second, you want to make sure that there are no weapons factories inside Gaza. There's no smuggling of weapons into Gaza. That's demilitarization.”

Last weekend, Netanyahu vowed in an address to the nation that “Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized.”

“If this is achieved the easy way, great. And if not, it will be achieved the hard way.”