Donald Trump is back with his muscular rhetoric on the Gaza crisis.
“Hamas, release all hostages and leave the Strip,” otherwise “hell will break loose,” is the ultimatum issued by the US President, at a time when the ceasefire between the Palestinian faction and Israel is increasingly hanging by a thread. The White House, following its usual pattern of first threatening and then negotiating, has given the green light to direct negotiations with Hamas to expedite the release of the remaining prisoners in the enclave, especially the Americans.
“To the people of Gaza: you have a bright future, but it won’t be so if you hold hostages. If you do, you’re dead, make the right decision,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth.
This warning comes after a meeting with eight previously released hostages in recent weeks: “Release all hostages now, not later, and immediately hand over the remains of those you have killed, otherwise it’s over for you.” Then, the final blow: “This is your last warning! For the leadership (of Hamas), the time has come to leave Gaza while you still can. None of your members will be safe if you don’t do as I say.”
Trump had already threatened hell in Gaza, but now he has gone further, immediately pressing for a Gaza without Hamas.
This forced exodus would be the starting point for realizing the tycoon’s plan for the future of the enclave: a luxurious riviera built on rubble and without Palestinians. In this light, Trump’s ultimatum is seen by Hamas as assistance to Israel to abandon the ceasefire and resume bombing to permanently destroy the enemy. The words of the US President “complicate matters related to the ceasefire agreement and encourage the occupier to avoid implementing its terms,” said the movement’s spokesperson, Hazem Qasim, urging Washington to pressure the Israeli state to agree to move to the second phase of the agreement signed in mid-January, which includes a permanent ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages.
To solve the hostage crisis, the US has initiated direct contact with Hamas. According to reports from the Times of Israel citing an official, these contacts have not been well received by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Saudi media, the Americans at the Doha talks have insisted on the issue of prisoners with dual citizenship as a first step to initiate broader discussions: there is still an Israeli-American alive in Gaza and the bodies of four others.
According to reports, an agreement has not yet been reached, but the negotiations, led by Trump’s envoy on the hostage dossier Adam Boehler, have not been halted. In addition to the main issue, the Americans have also proposed a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 10 hostages at this meeting, as reported by Sky News Arabic.
Meanwhile, Cairo has chosen not to comment on Trump’s threat to Hamas. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has simply stated that the Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza does not involve any role for the Islamic movement. The line is to “continue to collaborate closely with our US partners and with Qatar to advance negotiations” on Gaza. Washington has also sent conciliatory signals: the Arab plan for Gaza is a “first step in good faith,” said US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Rubio: We will revoke visas for pro-Hamas foreign students
“Those who support terrorist organizations, including Hamas, threaten our national security. The United States will have zero tolerance for foreigners who support terrorists. Violators of American law, including international students, risk visa denial or revocation and deportation.” This was stated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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