Trump issues ultimatum to Hamas on hostage release, threatening fragile ceasefire
President Trump issued an ultimatum on Monday to Hamas, saying that if all remaining Israeli hostages are not released from Gaza by noon on Saturday, then “all hell is going to break loose.”
Asked by reporters for details on what that meant, Mr. Trump initially responded: “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out, too. Hamas will find out what I mean.”
He then said ending the ceasefire that took effect on January 19 would be “Israel’s decision,” but that he felt it would be “appropriate” to cancel the agreement if the hostages aren’t released by his deadline. Under the terms of the ceasefire deal negotiated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt, a total of 33 Israeli hostages were to be released during a six-week first phase, in exchange for the release of about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
As of Monday, about three weeks into phase-one, about half of the hostages due to be released have thus far been freed, in line with the schedule laid out in the agreement. There are 76 hostages still held by Hamas or its allies in Gaza. On Tuesday, the IDF announced that the oldest one of them, 86-year-old Shlomo Mantzur, had been murdered by Hamas.
Mr. Trump made the comments about the hostages while signing executive orders on Monday at the White House. He spoke hours after Hamas said it was delaying the next release of hostages, which was scheduled for Saturday, as a spokesman accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement, including by targeting Palestinians in Gaza with airstrikes.
“This includes delays in allowing displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, targeting them with airstrikes and gunfire across various areas of the Strip, and failing to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid as agreed,” said Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hamas’ plan to delay the next release of hostages was “a complete violation” of the ceasefire agreement and that he had instructed the Israeli military to be on the highest level of alert. The prime minister’s coordinator for hostages said the Israeli government intended to live up to its end of the agreement.
But as Mr. Trump threatened to upend that agreement, he said Saturday’s delayed hostage release — which was expected to see the release of another three hostages held by Hamas in exchange for dozens more Palestinian prisoners — should include all of the remaining hostages.
“I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday,” Mr. Trump said. “All of them, not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two.”
A senior Hamas leader told the French news agency AFP on Tuesday that Mr. Trump’s warning over the hostages “further complicates matters.” It came just days after negotiations were meant to begin in earnest to lay out the terms of the second phase of the ceasefire.
“Trump must remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties and this is the only way to return the prisoners (hostages),” Sami Abu Zuhri said. “The language of threats has no value and further complicates matters,” he said.
Separately, in part of an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier that was recorded Saturday but only released on Monday, Mr. Trump said Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza and he “would own this,” referring to his statements last week that the U.S. would “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip and that Palestinians should not return.
Israel and Hamas have carried out five swaps since the ceasefire went into effect last month, freeing 18 hostages, including Keith Siegel, who has dual U.S.-Israeli nationality, and over 730 Palestinian prisoners.
The most recent exchange, which took place on Feb. 8, caused some alarm because of the emaciated condition of the three male hostages who were released by Hamas. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the three male hostages “endured hell itself,” after seeing the state of the men.
The plan put forth by the president has drawn increasingly robust backing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who on Monday called it “new, creative, and revolutionary,” but it has been roundly condemned by many nations in the region and around the world, including the neighbors of Israel to which Mr. Trump has said Gaza’s population should be relocated.
Tucker Reals and
contributed to this report.