Trump Demands Hamas Disarmament as Gaza Ceasefire Enters Second Phase

President Donald Trump has intensified calls for Hamas to disarm as the Gaza ceasefire enters its second phase. In a late-night social media post on Thursday, Trump emphasized the need for Hamas to fulfill its commitments, including returning the remains of the final Israeli captive. He warned of severe consequences should the group fail to comply.

"Hamas must IMMEDIATELY honor its commitments, including the return of the final body to Israel, and proceed without delay to full Demilitarization," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "As I have said before, they can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

The disarmament of Hamas remains a contentious issue in the ceasefire's second phase, alongside the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the facilitation of increased humanitarian aid into Gaza. Hamas has so far refused to relinquish its arms.

Trump has proposed that Hamas be stripped of its weapons and its extensive tunnel network dismantled, with support from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar. The feasibility of enforcing such measures remains uncertain. The plan includes Hamas surrendering heavy weapons entirely, while the U.S. considers a "buy-back" program for smaller arms, offering financial incentives for their surrender.

The focus of the ceasefire's second phase has shifted from merely halting hostilities to establishing transitional governance, demilitarization, and reconstruction in Gaza. This marks a significant escalation in diplomatic efforts amid ongoing violence. Since the ceasefire began in October last year, at least 451 Palestinians have reportedly been killed.

Trump has announced plans to chair a "board of peace" tasked with overseeing Gaza's reconstruction, economic recovery, and broader transition processes. Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to join an executive board alongside Trump's advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, with Nickolay Mladenov, a former UN Middle East envoy, playing a central on-the-ground role.

This board will supervise a 15-member Palestinian committee formed to manage Gaza's civil administration during the transition. Known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), it is intended to be apolitical and staffed by technocrats and experts rather than political factions. Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority, has been appointed to lead the group.

The United Nations has reported that Israel's military operations have significantly undermined Gaza's infrastructure, estimating reconstruction costs to exceed $70 billion over several decades. Jorge Moreira da Silva, a UN undersecretary general, described the level of destruction as overwhelming, noting that Gaza has more than 60 million tonnes of rubble, equivalent to the capacity of nearly 3,000 container ships. He emphasized the urgency of beginning reconstruction efforts to restore access to basic services.

Despite the ceasefire, life in Gaza remains precarious. While airstrikes and gunfire have decreased, they have not ceased entirely. Recent storms have exacerbated the crisis, causing deaths and flooding in displacement camps already stretched beyond their limits. Strong winter winds caused walls to collapse onto flimsy tents housing displaced Palestinians, resulting in fatalities. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that 100 children have been killed since the ceasefire began in October, including six who died of hypothermia.