Anbu. Waltz: No one will be left behind in Gaza
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Michael Waltz, recently discussed various topics on “Fox & Friends.” He reflected on the efforts to recover the remains of Americans believed to be held by Hamas, operations against drug shipments off Venezuela’s coast, and made clear the U.S. stance on the United Nations’ proposed global carbon tax, stating it will be “categorically rejected.”
The U.S. has plans to offer rewards to residents in Gaza who assist in locating the remains of hostages who perished in custody. Two senior White House advisors confirmed this to reporters, mentioning a program in development that would incentivize residents for their help.
Under the terms of the cease-fire agreement, all 20 living hostages and the remains of nine deceased individuals have been returned to Israel. However, there are still 19 bodies that have not been recovered.
Hamas has asserted they lack information about the whereabouts of these individuals, claiming that finding them would necessitate “huge efforts and special equipment.”
IDF says bodies handed over to Hamas do not match hostages
One advisor dismissed accusations against Hamas for violating the cease-fire, emphasizing that the return of the living hostages was the priority of the agreement and acknowledged that locating the remains in the conflict zone would be a challenging task.
He firmly stated, “We’re not leaving until everyone returns.” While some have alleged that Hamas breached the agreement by not returning all bodies, the advisor clarified, “The understanding we had was to rescue all the living hostages. They upheld that agreement.”
Exclusive: Israeli ambassador states there will be no peace in Gaza unless Hamas returns all hostages
Israeli intelligence is collaborating with Turkish specialists trained in disaster recovery, particularly with experience from Turkey’s earthquakes, to aid in finding the remaining bodies. The advisor noted the overwhelming destruction in Gaza, likening it to a movie scene, with only a few structures remaining amidst the debris.
“It’s on a scale, perhaps, even greater than what we saw post-9/11,” he speculated, highlighting the intensity of the wreckage alongside the presence of unexploded ordnance, which complicates recovery operations.
Plans are also in motion to establish a “safe zone” near the Yellow Line, an area still under control of the Israeli Defense Forces, aimed at providing refuge for Palestinians trying to escape Hamas, which has been reported to be executing individuals across Gaza.
There are ongoing violent encounters between Hamas and other factions, with videos of executions spreading on social media. The advisor mentioned that directives have been given to Hamas to halt these killings.
“We have received many reports of Hamas targeting Palestinian civilians in Gaza. We are working with mediators to communicate that this must come to an end,” he remarked.
Despite varying reactions from all parties involved, there is an understanding that President Trump and his team are making efforts to mitigate the situation.
An Israeli military official characterized the killings as a “deliberate attempt by Hamas to reaffirm control through public terror.”
President Trump remarked that Hamas was also managing some policing operations and that those targeted were gang-related individuals. “They want to resolve the issue, they’ve been clear about it, and we have given them our support for a time period,” he told the press.
With nearly 2 million people expected to return to heavily damaged buildings, Trump expressed concern about potential dangers but emphasized that progress was being made. “They’ve dealt with some very harmful groups,” he added, noting that these developments were not particularly troubling for him.
As of Monday, the historic ceasefire, marked by the return of all living hostages, appears to be holding, with the Israeli Defense Forces repositioning behind the designated Yellow Line in Gaza, marking a significant early phase of the agreement.
