Trump: ‘There’s a Good Chance Hamas Will Disarm’

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States has achieved major progress in the Middle East, highlighting the return of the remains of Ran Gvili, whom he described as the final hostage held in Gaza, during remarks at a Cabinet meeting.

“We have peace in the Middle East now. Just a couple of little minor flames that we put out very easily. And very importantly, we got our last hostage back, which is incredible,” Trump stated.

Trump said the recovery of all hostages, including those who were killed, was an outcome many believed was unattainable, and he credited firm pressure on Hamas for producing results. “We did something which nobody said could be done, and I will tell you: Hamas was a big factor in getting all of the hostages back. We were not happy with them and they had to bring them back. They found the dead hostages, the bodies of hostages. Those parents wanted their sons back,” he said. “They wanted their sons back as much as people that had living hostages, that we got them back too.”

He emphasized that families of the deceased viewed the return of their children’s remains as critically important, even as efforts to free living captives continued. Trump added: “I always said getting those last 20 back was going to be very tough. We got them back, and we got all of the bodies back also, which to those parents was just as important as getting back the son that was living.”

During the meeting, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff praised the administration’s approach, telling the president: “Your policy of peace through strength, that’s what delivered them home. Without that pressure, it never happens.”

Witkoff also said Hamas would ultimately be forced to give up its weapons, asserting that the group has no alternative. Trump echoed that assessment, saying: “And now we want to get Hamas [with] no guns. There’s a good chance we’re going to get there. A lot of people said they’d never disarm. It looks like they’re going to disarm.”

{Matzav.com}