The US President issued an ultimatum to Hamas, saying ‘all hell is going to break out’ unless all hostages are returned as he doubles down on his plan for the US to take control of and rebuild the Gaza Strip
The Israeli Prime Minister has threatened to end the Gaza ceasefire unless its hostages in Gaza are released by midday on Saturday.
Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X on Tuesday, threatening a ‘return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated.’
It is unclear if Netanyahu’s order referred to the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza, or just the three scheduled for release on Saturday.
His comments come as Hamas threatened to delay Saturday’s planned hostage release “until further notice,” accusing Israel of breaking the agreement.
Netanyahu has reportedly also ordered the army to add more troops in and around Gaza.
Earlier on Tuesday, Netanyahu said they “will continue to take determined and relentless action until we return all of our hostages – the living and the deceased.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned that “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas does not return all remaining Israeli hostages by midday on Saturday.
“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,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office late on Monday.
“I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday, and if they’re not returned – all of them, not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two. Saturday at 12 o’clock, and after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out.”
When asked by reporters what he meant by “all hell,” Trump said: “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out – Hamas will find out what I mean.”
“I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it, but from myself, Saturday at 12 o’clock, and if they’re not – they’re not here, all hell is going to break out.”
He also doubted whether all the hostages were alive, saying: “I think a lot of the hostages are dead.”
Speaking at the White House alongside Jordan’s King Abdullah, President Trump said he didn’t think Hamas would make the deadline.
King Abdullah also announced that 2,000 Palestinian children with cancer and other medical issues will be immediately allowed into Jordan.
“That’s so beautiful. That’s music to my ears,” Trump responded to the news.
The Jordanian leader added that no announcement on Arab countries accepting Palestinian refugees would be made until Arab leaders had met with Saudi Arabia’s leader Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.
President Donald Trump repeatedly said the United States would take over Gaza – but refused to specify how – during his Oval Office meeting with King Abdullah.
“We’re going to take it, we’re going to hold it, we’re going to cherish it,” he told reporters, adding “We’re not going to buy anything, we’re going to have it”.
Asked how the United States would claim the territory, Trump cited “U.S. authority.”
Hamas brushed off Trump’s threat, reiterating that dozens of hostages would only be released if all parties remained committed to the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said on Tuesday: “Trump must remember there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties. This is the only way to bring back prisoners.
“The language of threats has no value; it only complicates matters.”
Tensions over the Gaza ceasefire have escalated as Trump doubled down on his plan for the US to take control of and rebuild the Strip.
In an interview this weekend, he explicitly said that Palestinians would not have the right to return under his proposals.
“No, they wouldn’t,” Trump said in an interview on Fox News when asked whether the Palestinians would have a right to return.
“Because they will have much better housing. Much better – in other words, I’m talking about building a permanent place for them.”
Trump said he would seek a “permanent place” for Palestinians in Egypt or Jordan if he could strike a deal with both countries, but both have rejected his proposals.
Also on Monday, a day before meeting Jordan’s King Abdullah at the White House, the 78-year-old president suggested he could withhold foreign aid from Jordan and Egypt if they refuse to take in forcibly displaced Palestinians.
“Yeah, maybe, sure why not?” Trump responded when reporters asked if he would hold back American aid.
“If they don’t, I would conceivably withhold aid, yes.”
Trump’s plans have received worldwide condemnation with some referring to it as ethnic cleansing.
Why has Hamas threatened to delay releasing hostages?
Israel and Hamas are in the middle of a six-week ceasefire, during which Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages taken in its 7 October attack in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida said on Monday that Israel had broken the ceasefire by blocking Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, launching strikes across the region, and failing to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
“The resistance leadership has closely monitored the enemy’s (Israel) violations and its failure to uphold the terms of the agreement,” Obeida said.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called the delay “a complete violation” of the ceasefire agreement, and he instructed the military to be on its highest alert.
Since the ceasefire began last month, Israel and Hamas have conducted five exchanges, releasing 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners.
Saturday’s exchange was set to free three more Israeli hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
