Pro-Palestinian militant group Hamas said it was ready enter negotiations with the United States over the release of hostages after President Donald Trump issued a new ultimatum.
“This is my last warning, there will not be another one!” Trump said. Hamas, however, said any talks would not be unconditional—underscoring the entrenchment on both sides.
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.
Freed Israeli hostages stand on stage with fighters of the Islamic Jihad and Ezz al-Din Al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas, before being handed over to representatives of the Red Cross in the southern… Freed Israeli hostages stand on stage with fighters of the Islamic Jihad and Ezz al-Din Al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas, before being handed over to representatives of the Red Cross in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on February 15, 2025.
Abed Rahim Khatib/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Why It Matters
Trump is pressing Hamas to “end the war” by releasing all Israeli hostages taken during the attack on October 7, 2023. Israel has expanded its military presence and intensified airstrikes deeper into Gaza City, saying it is the group’s stronghold.
Hamas insists on the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area and refuses to disarm. It continues to clash with Israeli forces on the ground, even as the group’s capabilities appear to be waning and Israeli casualties continue to rise.
Globally, frustration is mounting over the conflict, with Palestinian civilian deaths numbering in the tens of thousands and famine risks growing amid the ongoing hostilities.
What To Know
In a statement on Monday, Hamas said it had received U.S. ceasefire proposals through mediators, but said any deal must include a public commitment by Israel to uphold the terms and avoid repeating past breaches.
Hamas holds nearly 50 Israeli hostages, of which 20 are still thought to be alive. On Friday, it released footage showing two hostages appealing for the war to end and for their safe return to their families, adding to growing public concerns in Israel for their safety amid intensifying combat.
Trump said Israel had accepted his proposal for a comprehensive deal but that Hamas had not. Hamas says it accepted a separate ceasefire plan from Arab mediators on August 18, to which Israel has yet to respond.
The U.S. is proposing that Hamas release all remaining hostages on the first day of a ceasefire in exchange for Israel freezing its assault on Gaza City, according to CNN.
The proposal Hamas has accepted stipulates a temporary 60-day ceasefire, during which the Israeli army would relocate to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, while half of the 50 Israeli captives would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners within the same time frame, Al-Jazeera reported.
The Israeli military said it struck a high-rise in Gaza City on September 5, shortly after announcing it would target tall buildings identified as being used by Hamas ahead of its forces’ planned conquest of… The Israeli military said it struck a high-rise in Gaza City on September 5, shortly after announcing it would target tall buildings identified as being used by Hamas ahead of its forces’ planned conquest of the urban hub.
OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP/Getty Images
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stated goal is to end Hamas’ rule over the Gaza strip. Since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, the frequency and intensity of rocket attacks on Israel have escalated with major clashes previously occurring in 2008-2009, 2012, 2014, and 2021.
The October 7 attacks nearly two years ago were the most significant to date, with hundreds of militants crossing the border amid a barrage of nearly 5,000 projectiles. The attack killed nearly 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Hamas has said it wants to see “the formation of a committee of independent Palestinians” to run Gaza—an Arab suggestion put forward by Egypt.
Egypt, acting as the U.S.’s co-mediator along with Qatar, has expressed concern over the large numbers of Palestinians crossing the border from Gaza into the Sinai Peninsula, which it says undermines its national security interests.
The Health Ministry of the Hamas-controlled Gaza government said on Sunday that 64,445 had been killed and more than 162,776 injured since the outbreak of war with Israel in fall 2023. Its data did not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
What People Are Saying
Hamas said in a statement via Telegram on Monday: “Hamas welcomes any step that supports the efforts to stop the aggression on our people and confirms readiness to immediately sit at the negotiating table to discuss the release of all prisoners in exchange for a clear declaration of ending the war, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the formation of a committee of independent Palestinians to run the Gaza Strip and to start its work immediately.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Sunday: “Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have 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!”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X on Monday: “Today, a powerful hurricane will strike the skies of Gaza City, and the roofs of the terror towers will. This is a final warning to the murderers and rapists of Hamas in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and lay down your weapons—or Gaza will be destroyed, and you will be annihilated.”
What Happens Next
Israel will continue expanding its attacks, Katz said, while details of what the Trump administration could do next are yet to be revealed.
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