Hamas called on mediators on Friday to follow up on the implementation of the remaining provisions of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement with Israel, which ended two years of war in Gaza.
The Palestinian terror group said in a statement that there was a need to complete the formation of a community support committee, which should begin its work in administering the Gaza Strip.
Hamas's demand comes as the group continues to delay the return of hostage remains to Israel, a condition of the first phase of the ceasefire deal. Officials from the group have told mediators that the group had lost the remains; however, an Israeli official previously told The Jerusalem Post that Hamas knows the location of at least some of the remaining hostages.
Negotiations for the second phase of the plan have been put on hold until Hamas returns the remains.
“Contrary to reports published in The Wall Street Journal, negotiations on phase B have not yet started,” the officials told the Post. “Professional teams are currently in Egypt discussing methods for locating the bodies of the kidnapped fallen.”
Hamas grips power in the Gaza Strip
Hamas's executions against those it accused of collaborating with Israel have also led experts and Middle East analysts to believe the terror group may not be willing to give up power in the Strip, another term of the agreement.
Greatly weakened by the IDF during the war, Hamas has gradually sent members back into the streets of Gaza since the ceasefire began on Friday, moving cautiously in case it suddenly collapses, according to two security sources in the territory.
Trump stated that "if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them," in a post on Truth Social on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Trump told CNN that he would consider allowing Israeli forces to resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas fails to uphold its end of the ceasefire deal.
"Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap of them, they’d do that," Trump was quoted as saying to CNN in a brief telephone call when asked what would happen if Hamas refused to disarm.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.