Hamas handed over more bodies of deceased hostages to Israel on Tuesday, one sign of progress after a number of apparent setbacks in the day since U.S. President Donald Trump touted his plan to end the Gaza war.
The bodies were returned after Israel announced it would cut in half the number of humanitarian aid trucks allowed into Gaza in a move to punish Hamas for what Israel called the militant group’s violation of its agreement to transfer remains under the ceasefire deal reached last week.
Meanwhile, re-emergent Hamas fighters demonstrated they were reasserting control in Gaza by deploying hundreds of security forces in the streets and executing several people they accused of collaborating with Israel.
The outlook for Trump’s peace plan darkened further when the U.S. president threatened Hamas with military strikes unless the militant group disarmed.
“If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently,” Trump said at the White House, one day after he spoke before the Knesset in Jerusalem.