JERUSALEM, Israel – Three more purported hostage bodies were returned to Israel from Gaza as Israelis wait for Hamas to give up the final eight bodies. For Israel, the struggles with Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon continue, with some calling Lebanon a "failed state" under Hezbollah rule.
Hamas surrendered the remains of the three bodies on Sunday evening, claiming they belong to American-Israeli Tank Commander Capt. Omer Neutra, Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel, who was part of Neutra's tank crew, and Col. Assaf Hamami, who served as the commander of the Southern Brigade Gaza Division.
President Trump stated, "We got Neutra, you know, from New York, from the United States, and I spoke to his parents, and they are thrilled in one sense, but in another sense, obviously not too great – but we're very happy to have done it."
The Netanyahu government will continue to press for the eight remaining bodies, which include one American. Hamas sent three bodies to Israel on Friday that were not those of hostages.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims there are still pockets of Hamas in areas under Israeli control that the Israel Defense Forces are working to eliminate.
"The entire issue of risk to our forces, my directive is unequivocal: if there is an attempt to harm our forces, we will strike both those who attack and their organization to protect our forces – we are determined about it."
The prime minister indicated that while Israel does report to its American friends, they don't ask permission.
"Dismantling and demilitarizing Hamas, disarming Hamas, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, this is the principle we adhere to. This is what is agreed upon between me and President Trump, and this is how we operate in a clear framework, and of course, if this is not done in one way, then it will be done in another way," he explained.
In an interview with CBS's Sixty Minutes, Trump described the Gaza ceasefire as "very solid."
"I mean, you hear about Hamas, but Hamas could be taken out immediately if they don’t behave. They know that. If they don’t behave, they’re going to be taken out immediately. If I want them to disarm, I’ll get them to disarm very quickly. I mean, they’ll be eliminated. They know that," Trump noted.
The administration's Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, will reportedly visit Israel on Monday. She's the latest in a wave of U.S. officials who have visited in the last two weeks.
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On the Lebanon front, Israel continues to strike Hezbollah targets. Five terrorists were killed over the weekend there.
The U.S. Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, describes Lebanon as a "failed state," without a central bank, electricity, or an education system, while only the Iranian-backed Hezbollah offers those things in the south.
Nevertheless, he praised the leaders of Lebanon and suggested that the way forward is for them to have good relations with Israel.
"The Lebanese leadership today is solid. President (Joseph) Aoun, (Prime Minister) Nawaf (Salam), and even Speaker (Nabih) Berri. They are trying, but they are dinosaurs. You have to go from the pay phone to Starlink – and Starlink is, you go from Beirut to Tel Aviv. You have that conversation on the blue line (between Israel and Lebanon), you have that conversation with Syria, and in four months, you can end all of this."
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