Donald Trump warned Hamas that “it’s over” unless it handed over its remaining hostages to the remaining hostages in Gaza.
In his best-war speech on the conflict, the U.S. president added that he “sented Israel to everything needed to do the work” and in the surrounded zone, warning Gazans that they would “dead” if the hostages were not released.
“I’m doing everything I need to do to Israel and if you don’t say that, it won’t be safe,” Trump wrote on Wednesday after he met with eight former hostages in the Oval Office.
“This is your last warning! For the leaders, it’s time to leave Gaza and you still have a chance. Also, for the people of Gaza, a bright future is waiting, but if you take the hostages. If you do, you’re dead!” he added.
“Release hostages now, or there will be hell in the future!” Trump wrote.
The inciting remarks came in the White House that the possibility of releasing American hostages in the first direct negotiations between the United States and the armed groups was in negotiations directly with Hamas.
U.S. envoy’s direct diplomacy in Qatar by Adam Boehler in Katar, as negotiations extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas may permanently stagnate.
Trump returned to the White House, which promised to end the war, and vowed in recent weeks to take over Gaza, putting more than 2MN Palestinians on the streets and developing it into the “Middle Eastern Riviera.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that in response to questions about whether the United States is in direct negotiations with Hamas: “These are negotiations and discussions ongoing. I won’t go into details here. There is a U.S. life at risk.”
Levitt said the United States had negotiated with Israel on negotiations, adding that Trump believed in “talking with people around the world and doing things in the best interests of the American people.”
One familiar with the matter said the discussion covered the possible release of American hostages and the end of the war.
“Israel has expressed its stance to the United States in direct negotiations with Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Wednesday night.
Israel demands full demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and calls on Hamas to disarm and renounce its power. Some officials have raised the prospect of exile for radical organizations, including but not limited to leadership.
The United States has long avoided direct dialogue with Hamas, which was designated as a terrorist organization in 1997.
Hamas still holds 59 hostages in Gaza, less than half of which are believed to be alive. The five are dual American nationals, including Edan Alexander of New Jersey, who are considered alive.
According to Israeli officials, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff made a “bridge proposal” last weekend to extend the current ceasefire by 50 days. The agreement will depend on Hamas’ release of half of its remaining hostages.
Hamas immediately rejected the proposal, calling it “manipulation.”
Qatar and Egypt established a multi-phase ceasefire agreement in January, with more than 30 hostages released in the initial six weeks of the armistice room, and about 1,500 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli prisons.
Even though the battle did not recover, the first phase ended.
Hamas openly maintains a firm stance in his position that Trump’s team helped to carry out the next phase of the ceasefire and that consensus must be reached before any other hostages are released.
The second phase should include the entire Israeli evacuation from Gaza, which is the permanent end of the war and reconstruction of the broken territory.
But Netanyahu repeatedly refused to end the 16-month war or drive troops out of Gaza.
In response to Hamas’ proposal to reject Witkov, Israel suspended all aid on Sunday into the surrounded enclave and threatened to cut off water and electricity before a possible renewal offense.
“Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas continues to refuse, there will be further consequences,” Netanyahu said.
The U.S. is pushing for an expanded ceasefire deal, a deal negotiated by Witkoff and the Biden Idministration before Trump returns to office.
Analysts say the U.S. will work to provide what Hamas wants in the negotiations, adding that conversations with militant groups have the potential to drive a wedge between the Israeli public and Washington.
“It’s hard to imagine that this will be successful, because what Hamas wants is the end of the war and what the United States cannot control is the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons that the United States cannot control.”
He added: “There are great risks in negotiating with terrorist organizations, knowing that Washington will do so will inspire them to repeat their activities in the future.”
