Trump issues ultimatum to Hamas on hostage release, threatening fragile ceasefire

President Trump issued an ultimatum to Hamas, saying that if all Israeli hostages are not released from Gaza by noon Saturday, then “all hell is going to break loose.” 

Asked by reporters for details on what that meant, Mr. Trump initially responded, “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out too. Hamas will find out what I mean.” He then said ending the ceasefire would be “Israel’s decision,” but that he felt it would be “appropriate” to cancel the agreement if the hostages aren’t released by his deadline.

Mr. Trump made the comments about the hostage negotiations while he was signing executive orders at the White House on Monday.    

Hamas on Monday said the next hostage release, which was scheduled for Saturday, has been delayed after a spokesman accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement by targeting Palestinians in Gaza with airstrikes. 

“This includes delays in allowing displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, targeting them with airstrikes and gunfire across various areas of the Strip, and failing to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid as agreed,” said Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hamas’ plan to delay the next release of hostages was “a complete violation” of the ceasefire agreement and that he instructed the Israeli military to be on the highest level of alert. The prime minister’s coordinator for hostages said the Israeli government intends to live up to its end of the agreement.  

The current six-week ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas calls for the release of dozens of hostages captured during the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. 

But as Mr. Trump on Monday threatened to upend that agreement, he said Saturday’s delayed hostage release — which was to include the release of three hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners — should include all remaining hostages.

“I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday,” Mr. Trump said, “… all of them, not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two.”

The sides have carried out five swaps since the ceasefire went into effect last month, freeing 18 hostages, including Keith Siegel, who has dual U.S.-Israeli nationality, and over 730 Palestinian prisoners.

The most recent exchange, which took place on Feb. 8, caused some alarm because of the emaciated condition of the three male hostages who were released by Hamas. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the three male hostages “endured hell itself,” after seeing the state of the men.

Negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire — which was brokered by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt — have begun, but Mr. Trump may have complicated the situation last week by suggesting the U.S. could “take over” Gaza.

The plan put forth by the president, which he’s not backed down from, has drawn tentative backing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, but it has been roundly condemned by many nations in the region and around the world, including the neighbors of Israel to which Mr. Trump said Gaza’s population should be relocated.

contributed to this report.