Trump's Stark Ultimatum to Hamas: Release Hostages by Saturday or Face Chaos
Washington (The Uttam Hindu): US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Hamas should release all the hostages held by it by Saturday afternoon. If the Palestinian group does not do so, he will propose cancelling the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. In a detailed discussion with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump expressed disappointment over the weak physical condition of the three hostages released by Hamas on January 8 and the Palestinian group's announcement to stop releasing the hostages. Let us tell you that under the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Hamas has to release Israeli hostages in exchange for which Israel will release Palestinian prisoners. So far, hostage-prisoner exchange has taken place five times. "As far as I'm concerned, if all the hostages are not returned by 12 o'clock Saturday, I would say it should be called off and all bets should be off and let mayhem ensue. They should get the hostages back by 12 o'clock Saturday," the US President said.
Trump said he wanted the hostages to be released all at once, not some at a time, adding: "We want everybody back." Trump also said he could cut off aid to Jordan and Egypt if they did not take in Palestinian refugees being removed from Gaza. He is due to meet Jordan's King Abdullah on Tuesday. The comments came amid some confusion over Trump's proposal that Gaza would be taken over by the US once the fighting stops. The US President said that under his proposal, Palestinians would not have the right to return to the Gaza Strip. In this way, he contradicted the statement of his own officials, in which they claimed that the people of Gaza would be removed only temporarily. According to media reports, in an interview on Monday, Trump said that he thinks he can make an agreement with Jordan and Egypt to take displaced Palestinians, saying that America gives 'billions of dollars annually' to both countries. Asked if Palestinians would have the right to return to Gaza, Trump said: "No, they shouldn't because they'll get better housing. I'm talking about building a permanent place for them," he said. He also said it would take years to make Gaza habitable again.
Let us tell you that on January 4, during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, US President Donald Trump presented his 'Gaza Plan'. Trump said that the United States would occupy the war-torn Gaza Strip and develop it economically after the Palestinians were resettled elsewhere. While proposing to develop Gaza, he had clearly stated that the displacement of Palestinians would be permanent. However, the White House later clarified that any displacement from Gaza would be temporary. The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, seizing 251 hostages and killing approximately 1,200 people. At least 48,208 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations says about two-thirds of Gaza's buildings have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli attacks.
