Donald Trump demands the release of all hostages held by Hamas by Saturday noon or risks restarting the Gaza conflict. Trump's comments come after Hamas delayed further hostage releases, accusing Israel of ceasefire violations. Trump also revealed his controversial plan for U.S. ownership of Gaza, stating Palestinians would not have a right to return.
Trump was responding to Hamas saying it will delay the further release of hostages in the Gaza Strip after accusing Israel of violating the three-week-old ceasefire. The U.S. president said that after the freeing of three visibly emaciated hostages on Saturday it was time for Israel to demand the release of all hostages by noon on Saturday, or restart the war.
An Israeli military helicopter carrying Israel hostages arrives at the Sheba Hospital in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. "We'll build safe communities, a little bit away from where they are, where all of this danger is," Trump said. "In the meantime, I would own this. Think of it as a real estate development for the future. It would be a beautiful piece of land. No big money spent."
But he also threatened to potentially withhold billions of dollars of U.S. assistance to Jordan and Egypt if they don't go along with his plan.Trump's comments risked jeopardizing the already tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza after 15 months of war, with the existing framework for negotiations calling for the massive humanitarian and reconstruction assistance for civilians in Gaza.
In a video message released Saturday after Hamas freed the latest hostages on Saturday, Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin, the parents of slain American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, called on Trump and his negotiating team to "think bigger and faster" and press for the release of all the remaining hostages this week.
Egypt on Monday reiterated its rejection to the transfer of Palestinians from their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, warning that such proposals threaten "the foundations of people" in the Middle East.
Middle East TRUMP HAMAS ISRAEL CEASEFIRE GAZA HOSTAGES PALESTINIANS MIDDLE EAST
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