Authored by Joseph Lord via The Epoch Times,
President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a “last warning” to the Hamas terrorist group to accept a deal to secure the release of all hostages still held by the group.
He said in a post on Truth Social that Israel “[has] accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!”
The specific terms being negotiated by Trump have not been publicly released.
In comments to reporters at Joint Base Andrews after he returned from a brief trip to New York, Trump expressed confidence that his administration could reach a deal to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip “very soon.”
“It’s a problem we want to solve, for the Middle East, for Israel, for everybody,” Trump said.
Israel launched an invasion into the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack by Hamas terrorists into Israel, an attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis. A total of 251 people, including both Israeli and American citizens, were kidnapped during the incursion.
Of the 48 hostages who are still being held by Hamas, Trump expressed hope that all could be returned through diplomacy.
“I think we’re going to get them all,” he said.
He acknowledged that some may have died before they could be rescued. In such cases, the United States will pursue a return of the victim’s remains.
As the Trump administration continues to work towards an end to the war in Ukraine, Trump reiterated his intentions to bring an end to the Middle Eastern conflict.
“We’re working on a solution that may be very good,” the president said.
On Saturday, Israel-based N12 News reported that Trump had put forward a new cease-fire proposal to Hamas, under which Hamas would reportedly release the 48 remaining hostages in exchange for the release of thousands of Palestinians jailed in Israel. The plan calls for negotiations to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip entirely during the cease-fire.
The Epoch Times has contacted the White House for comment.
Trump said in his post that Israel is on board with his proposal, although Israeli officials have not yet publicly backed the plan.
Hamas said following Trump’s online post that it received some ideas from the United States on how to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza and was discussing ways to develop those ideas but gave no specific details about any potential agreement.
The terrorist group in a statement repeated its openness to negotiations for the release of hostages in exchange for a “clear announcement of an end to the war” and withdrawal of all Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.