US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a new ultimatum to Hamas, demanding that the terror group immediately release all remaining hostages or be destroyed.
“‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Release all of the hostages now — not later — and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you.”
Trump’s post was uploaded shortly after he met with a group of eight released hostages in the Oval Office, and amid an apparent impasse in negotiations between Israel and Hamas after the first phase of a fragile ceasefire ended Saturday.
“We’ll get them out,” he told the group of eight freed hostages, referring to hostages still held in Gaza.
“You were our hope when we were there, and now you’re their hope,” one of the eight, Naama Levy, told him.
The White House later released footage of the meeting, and of some of the released hostages speaking separately to camera.
Trump has issued multiple ultimatums to Hamas over the past several months with limited success. Before his inauguration, he demanded Hamas release all of the hostages or there would be “all hell to pay.” The terror group did not release all of them, but did agree to a multiphase ceasefire deal with Israel that secured 33 hostages during the first stage.
Last month, after Hamas threatened not to release a batch of those hostages, citing Israeli violations of the agreement, Trump issued another similar ultimatum demanding that all of them be released at noon the following Saturday. Hamas didn’t agree to release all of the hostages, but it did free the three it was scheduled to let go.
“I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job; not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say,” he warned Wednesday.
Trump has advanced over $11 billion in weapons sales to Israel since taking office, including a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs that the Biden administration withheld due to concerns they’d lead to civilian deaths in Gaza.
“This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance,” Trump declared.
He noted that he had just met with the former hostages, “whose lives you have destroyed… Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”
Senior US officials engaged in discussions last night with Hamas leaders, and mediators from Egypt and Qatar, Reuters reports, citing two Egyptian sources.
The conversation between the Americans and Egyptians included talks on who would govern Gaza after the war, says Reuters, and touched on specific names of figures who could be involved in its management.
The sources say that the talks “ended positively” and that they point to a transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in the near future.
The Prime Minister’s Office indicates to The Times of Israel that is unaware of the development.
“We do not know of progress in talks on phase two,” says a PMO official.
More from today’s Liveblog:
- Israel rescues 10 Indian laborers being held in Palestinian West Bank village
- Minor quake in Red Sea rattles Eilat
Hostages tell Trump of captivity horrors: It’s a miracle I’m alive
Watch: Eight freed hostages who met US President Donald Trump in the White House tell the President of some of the horrors they experienced during captivity.
The White House on Wednesday night published an additional video from President Donald Trump’s meeting at the White House with eight Israelis who were freed from Hamas captivity - Eli Sharabi, Keith and Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Doron Steinbrecher, Iair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, and Noa Argamani.
In the video, the freed hostages tell Trump of some of the horrors they experienced during captivity.
Aviva Siegel told Trump, “It was the worst thing that anybody can go through. One of the days, they handcuffed one of the boys that was with us, and then he came, and he pulled a cutter, and he cut his hand and smiled. They used to eat in front of us while they starved us.”
Doron Steinbrecher told the President that “it’s a miracle” that she is still alive.
Eli Sharabi said, “I was kidnapped on the 7th of October. My wife and my two daughters were murdered on the same day. I was held in captivity for 491 days. I suffered from starvation, violence, and humiliations daily. One time, they broke my ribs, and it hurt so much that I couldn't breathe for one month. Thanks to President Trump, I'm a free man. I can hug my mother again. I can hug my brothers and sisters.”
“I was moved 33 times, spent time in tunnels with no air to breathe, barely food, hardly any water, saw horrific torturing of hostages that I spent time with, and I am so grateful and thankful to be here because of President Trump and the administration's great efforts,” said Keith Siegel.
Iair Horn pointed out that his younger brother, Eitan, is still being held by Hamas
Trump told the hostages, “I've never had anything like this. I mean, I've saved a lot of people, but I've never seen anything like this where you lived under those conditions. Horrible stories. Not even believable. We'll get them out. Watch.”
Shortly after his meeting with the freed hostages, Trump issued an ultimatum to Hamas, demanding that the group release all the remaining hostages immediately, “or it is over for you”.
“I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say,” he continued. I have just met with your former Hostages whose lives you have destroyed. This is your last warning!”
“For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance. Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!” the President wrote.
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