President of the United States revealed that the remains of Israelis who perished while held captive in Gaza are currently being recovered.
Published On 11 Oct 2025
President Donald Trump announced that Israelis detained in Gaza by Hamas and hamas-or-justice-video/” title=”Netanyahu Issues Stark Warning to Qatar: "Expel … Chiefs or We Will Take Action" (Video)”>allied factions are expected to be returned on Monday. This includes 20 individuals still alive and the remains of 28 others who died while in captivity, as part of a ceasefire agreement facilitated by the United States.
Addressing the press at the White House late Friday, Trump described Monday as a significant day, marking the exchange of all 48 Israeli detainees-both living and deceased-in return for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention centers.
“Currently, some of the deceased are being recovered,” Trump stated. “Efforts are underway as we speak.” He expressed sorrow over the situation, calling it “a profound tragedy.”
Regarding the living captives, the president noted, “They are confined in extremely harsh conditions, with only a few individuals aware of their exact locations.”
Trump also revealed plans to visit Cairo over the weekend and to address the Israeli Knesset before heading back to the United States.
According to the ceasefire terms brokered by the US, Hamas committed to releasing all prisoners within 72 hours after the ceasefire commenced.
Israel’s cabinet approved the ceasefire early Friday, which took effect later that day. Following this, Israeli forces began repositioning from Gaza to designated zones, initiating the countdown for Hamas to fulfill its prisoner release obligations.
Earlier reports indicated that Hamas might face challenges in locating and assembling the remains of all deceased captives, potentially complicating the scheduled prisoner exchange on Monday.
As Palestinians started returning to their devastated neighborhoods amid the Israeli withdrawal, critical uncertainties linger about Gaza’s future, including the prospects for establishing a Palestinian state.
Nevertheless, Trump maintained a hopeful outlook regarding both the initial and subsequent stages of the ceasefire plan.
He emphasized that both Hamas and Israel are “weary of conflict.”
“There is broad agreement on most aspects, with some details still to be finalized,” Trump explained. “Negotiations in a comfortable setting, like a conference room in Egypt, make it easier to reach agreements.”
“However, practical implementation can sometimes be challenging, but overall, consensus exists,” he added.
The president also expressed satisfaction with the backing the agreement has received from the European Union, Iran, and Russia, highlighting that the peace initiative aims to extend “beyond Gaza.”
“This represents a step toward peace in the Middle East, which is truly a remarkable achievement,” he concluded.
