US AND EGYPT TURN UP THE HEAT ON HAMAS: Senior Egyptian and American officials warned Hamas’ leadership that if it refuses to hand over its weapons, fighting in Gaza will resume and Israel will target Hamas leaders in the Strip and abroad with full American backing.

• The warning came as part of the final U.S.–Egyptian push to complete Phase A of the ceasefire and advance to Phase B, which is intended to end the war.

• The Americans, mainly through Egypt, are demanding that Hamas first return the bodies of the two remaining hostages. This pressure led to focused searches and the discovery of hostages’ remains, after Hamas falsely claimed it needed engineering equipment and faced “difficulties,” even though it had accurate information all along.

• U.S. officials estimate the remaining bodies will be returned in the coming days as they pressure Hamas to accept a weapons-handover process and a transfer of control in Gaza.

• A Hamas delegation in Cairo was told that Israel has a full green light to renew fighting and “finish the job” if Hamas refuses to comply.

• According to Arab diplomatic sources, in one Cairo meeting three senior Hamas officials — Khalil al-Hayya, Nizar Awadallah and Zahar Jabarin — were warned that their refusal would block reconstruction for Gaza’s population and could result in Israel targeting them personally if the war resumes.

• Multiple options were discussed in the Cairo talks, including a gradual disarmament plan under which Hamas members would be allowed to keep only personal weapons for self-defense during a long transitional period. This proposal faces strong opposition from Hamas’ leadership, particularly those aligned with Iran.

• The deadlock — combined with the refusal of involved nations to contribute forces to any multinational mission until Hamas is disarmed — led Egypt to postpone a planned reconstruction conference. Gulf states, expected to fund most of the rebuilding, told Cairo they will not participate as long as Hamas remains in control.

• In “Gaza District East,” where Israel maintains control, infrastructure work is accelerating to prepare interim residential areas for the reconstruction phase. Israel is preparing for a long-term IDF presence in the Green Zone, where temporary neighborhoods will be built during the rebuilding of Gaza’s cities.

• In Rafah, major work continues on a large pilot neighborhood designed for long-term civilian use, including infrastructure, education, health services, policing, water, energy and sewage systems.