President Donald Trump, on the 10th of February, 2025, issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas, demanding the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza by midday Saturday. If not, he warned, he would push for the cancellation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and allow chaos to unfold.
Trump acknowledged that Israel might not align with his stance, hinting at a potential discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Speaking candidly to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump voiced frustration over the condition of the latest group of freed hostages and Hamas’s abrupt decision to halt further releases.
“As far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock, I think it’s an appropriate time. I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out. I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday,” he declared.
Trump insisted on the hostages being released all at once rather than in stages. He also threatened to cut aid to Jordan and Egypt if they refused to accept Palestinian refugees being relocated from Gaza.
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The U.S. president is scheduled to meet Jordan’s King Abdullah on the 11th of February, 2025.
His remarks added to the growing uncertainty surrounding his proposal for a U.S.-led redevelopment of Gaza once the fighting ceases. In a striking contradiction to his own officials, Trump asserted that Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza under his plan, despite previous claims that their relocation would be temporary.
Confident in his ability to strike a deal, Trump suggested that Jordan and Egypt could accommodate displaced Palestinians, emphasizing that the U.S. provides the two nations with “billions and billions of dollars a year.”