By President Donald Trump has issued what he called a “last warning” to Hamas, demanding the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza. His strong message came shortly after the White House confirmed that the U.S. has opened direct negotiations with Hamas to secure the release of Israeli hostages.
“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,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account. He warned that Hamas would face severe consequences if the hostages were not freed, though he did not give details about the support the U.S. was providing to Israel.
In his post, Trump was blunt: “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.” He urged Hamas leaders to flee Gaza while they still could and even addressed Gaza’s civilians directly. “A beautiful future awaits, but not if you hold hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!”
Hamas quickly fired back, accusing Trump of trying to sabotage the current ceasefire deal. Spokesman Hazem Qassem said Trump’s threats were encouraging Israel to violate the agreement instead of honoring its terms.
Trump has repeatedly taken a hard stance on Hamas, previously warning in December that the group would face “all hell to pay” if hostages were still in captivity when he returned to the White House. That warning came after Trump met with several hostages who had recently been freed under the ceasefire deal.
The revelation that the U.S. is now in direct talks with Hamas marks a significant shift in American policy. The White House has traditionally refused direct contact with Hamas, which the U.S. officially lists as a terrorist organization. However, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration consulted Israel before opening the talks and stressed that Trump’s priority is securing American and Israeli lives.
Leavitt praised the work of Adam Boehler, the special envoy for hostages, calling his efforts a “good faith attempt to do what’s right for the American people.”
