Trump's ultimatum to Hamas: release the hostages or suffer the consequences

The head of state explained that Hamas's refusal to negotiate is due to the fact that once the last hostages are released, the terrorist group would lose any remaining power leverage it still has in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, as the White House pressures Hamas leaders hiding in Qatar, Israel is intensifying its military operations against the last pockets of terrorist resistance in the enclave. On Saturday, the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, Avichay Adraee, informed some residents of Gaza City to evacuate in the face of the threat of an airstrike.

The large-scale Israeli offensive in the central city of the Strip, which was announced by the army of the Jewish state weeks ago, is achieving its objectives. In response to this military success, Hamas has published this week images of two hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023, whom it has subjected to torture and abuse.

Hamas received an ultimatum this afternoon from President Donald Trump; it consists of the Palestinian terrorist group releasing the last hostages in its captivity or suffering devastating consequences.

The threat, which was published on the Truth Social platform, was described by Trump himself as his "final warning". The president's post states that "everyone wants this war to end," adding that "the Israelis have accepted my conditions" and that "it's time for Hamas to accept them as well."

On Friday, Trump informed the press that, according to intelligence reports, some of the 20 hostages believed to still be alive may have died at the hands of the terrorist group in recent days.

The Israeli army continues its offensive in Gaza City.

"There are 20 people, but I think that of those 20, there may be some who have died recently, as far as I understand. I hope that's a mistake," Trump commented in the Oval Office. "We know that at least 30 people have died and we're negotiating to get them out."