Senior advisers to the Trump administration expressed on Wednesday night that they had not observed any breaches of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, urging patience as efforts to recover the bodies of hostages exceeded the initial 72-hour deadline.
Two top U.S. advisers, speaking anonymously, updated reporters on the status of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan for the Gaza Strip, noting some cracks in last week’s ceasefire agreement.
“We haven’t quite reached a point where everyone feels the agreement has been violated,” remarked one senior U.S. adviser.
With rising tensions in Israel, Hamas has reportedly transferred the bodies of hostages multiple times, citing the need for more time to recover them amid the devastation in Gaza.
So far, Hamas has handed over the remains of nine hostages. Israel announced that forensic examinations revealed one body did not match the identity of the designated hostage.
“We’ve heard from numerous individuals claiming Hamas has breached the agreement since not all bodies have been returned. My understanding was that we aimed to save all living hostages, which they appeared to respect. We now have mediators working closely with them.” Another senior U.S. adviser added, “We will strive to recover as many bodies as we can.”
“We will keep providing them with the relevant information from the Israelis and… continue acting in good faith until all avenues are exhausted.”
The U.S. also instructed arbitrators to tell Hamas to halt any further civilian casualties following retaliatory actions against other militant groups aimed to reassert control.
President Trump indicated he has permitted Hamas to maintain security during the ceasefire but, in a meeting at the Oval Office, expressed indifference toward reports of Hamas targeting “gang members.”
However, Admiral Brad Cooper, the CENTCOM commander, issued a statement on Wednesday urging Hamas to “immediately stop its violence and attacks against innocent Palestinians in Gaza.”
Admiral Cooper manages the Joint Command Center in Israel, where around 200 U.S. troops will be deployed to oversee the ceasefire.
“There have clearly been numerous instances of Hamas pursuing and attacking Palestinian civilians in Gaza. We’re collaborating with mediators to communicate the urgent need to stop this,” stated the senior U.S. adviser.
The United States is collaborating with Israel to establish a “safe zone,” referred to as the Yellow Line, behind current Israeli military positions in Gaza, aiming to provide refuge for Palestinians who may feel threatened.
“This is a novel initiative we proposed, and we received significant enthusiasm from the Israeli side to initiate it,” noted the senior U.S. adviser.
He indicated that the advisers still aim to demilitarize Hamas as part of the second phase of negotiations, working on a method to achieve this in a manner that ensures everyone’s safety.
Officials emphasized that the U.S. remains dedicated to forming an international stabilization force. Regional analysts have cautioned that without another security presence in Gaza, Hamas might seek political inclusion, potentially regaining military control and responsibility for civilian services like debris clearance and infrastructure repairs.
When asked how the U.S. plans to integrate Hamas and its affiliates into the technocratic government overseeing the Gaza Strip, senior advisers responded, “We will ensure that many individuals do not take on such roles.”
They mentioned that a peace commission, headed by Trump and likely to include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, would determine who would participate in the governance of Palestine. During a recent visit to the Middle East to celebrate the hostages’ release and the ceasefire, Trump mentioned that the formation of the commission is still underway.
