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US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that it \u201clooks like\u201d Hamas would give up its weapons, a step the group has not confirmed, in what would be a major step forward in the fragile Gaza ceasefire with Israel.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people said they\u2019ll never disarm. It looks like they\u2019re going to disarm,\u201d Trump told a cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
Trump hailed cooperation with Hamas after Israeli forces brought back the remains of the last captive held in Gaza, Ran Gvili.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey did help us with those bodies, getting them back, and that family is so grateful,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n
Trump had asked for an update on the Middle East from his roving special envoy Steve Witkoff, sitting in the side of the room as cabinet members and media listened.<\/p>\n
An upbeat Witkoff voiced high confidence in Hamas following through.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got the terrorists out of there and they\u2019re going to demilitarise. They will because they have no choice,\u201d Witkoff said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re going to give it up. They\u2019re going to give up the AK-47s,\u201d he told Trump.<\/p>\n Hamas has said that the return of Gvili\u2019s body showed its commitment to the ceasefire, but it has so far not surrendered its weapons.<\/p>\n The group has repeatedly said disarmament is a red line, but it has also suggested <\/a>it would be open to handing over its weapons to a Palestinian governing authority.<\/p>\n Disarmament is a key part of the second phase of the ceasefire plan sealed in October.<\/p>\n A Palestinian technocratic committee has also been set up to take over governance in the battered Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n