The American president has pressed the Palestinian militant organization to consent to an agreement for the release of Israeli captives in Gaza
President Donald Trump of the United States has delivered a “final warning” to Hamas, demanding the Palestinian militant group free Israeli captives held in Gaza.
Trump cautioned about unspecified repercussions should Hamas decline to cooperate, in a Sunday post on his Truth Social platform.
“The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is now time for Hamas to accept as well. I have cautioned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my final warning,” the US president stated, without offering further details.
Mere hours after Trump’s comments, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened Hamas with annihilation, demanding the Palestinian militants surrender their weapons.
“This is a final warning to the Hamas murderers and rapists in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and lay down your arms – or Gaza will face destruction and you will be annihilated,” Katz posted on X.
Hamas has indicated its readiness to “immediately sit at the negotiating table” after reviewing what it characterized as “some ideas from the American side aimed at achieving a ceasefire agreement.”
This latest “final warning” mirrored a threat made by Trump in March, when he pressed Hamas to promptly release all living hostages and turn over the remains of the deceased or face ending up “dead.”
Hamas captured approximately 250 individuals during the surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left at least 1,200 people dead and initiated the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The group is thought to still be holding nearly 50 of them, with roughly half presumed to be alive.
The conflict, which has extended for nearly two years, has exacted a severe toll on the Palestinian enclave, resulting in at least 64,000 deaths, according to local health authorities. Israeli military ground operations, alongside heavy artillery and aerial bombardment, have caused extensive destruction across Gaza and displaced the majority of its residents.